What’s the most normal thing you’ve done that ended in mild humiliation? – 17 times life took an unexpectedly embarrassing turn

Even if you’re the most suave, well-composed person on the planet, life has a way of putting you in your place with a healthy dose of embarrassment.

These humiliating instances often don’t have an obvious set up, either. More likely than not you’ll be innocently going about your business before being metaphorically tripped up.

HD-DataDrivenMind wanted to hear all about the most normal things that somehow ended up in mild humiliation, so they asked r/AskUK to share their experiences. They even got the ball rolling with a story of their own:

‘A few years back I was in Boots, completely on autopilot. Picked up what I thought was a bottle of water near the tills, cracked it open and took a massive swig before even reaching the cashier.

‘Micellar water. Full mouthful of makeup remover.

‘The cashier watched the entire thing happen and said nothing. Not a word. Just scanned my items like she hadn’t just witnessed a grown adult poison themselves in aisle four.

‘I had two options, acknowledge it or pay and leave with whatever dignity I had left. I paid and left.

‘Still think about her sometimes. Hope she’s well.

‘What’s yours?’

Set faces to cringe, here are the top answers…

1.

‘Accidentally grabbed my instructor’s knee thinking it was the gear stick. He said “steady on”

‘This was years ago and I find it hilarious now’
-imokaytho

2.

‘A few weeks back I told a customer on the phone to check their SPUNK folder on their email…. I mixed up spam & junk 🤣’
-No-Arm1386

3.

‘About a million variations on trying to say two things at once to a cashier and completely fucking them up. Two recent ones spring to mind: tried to say “sweet” and “cool” when told my total and came out with “swool!” and trying to say “not bad thanks!” when asked how my day was going and somehow just going “yeah bad!”

‘I should really learn to just smile and nod and keep my mouth shut.’
-rocketscientology

4.

‘As I left what I thought was a triumphant interview in my early IT days, I bade the interviewers goodbye, gave them both a firm handshake, told them I’d look forward to hearing from them, and pressed the door release button to exit the room…. Only to plunge the room into darkness as I realised there was no door release button: just a light switch.

‘*On this occasion, I was not successful in my application. 😂’
-LIFTMakeUp

5.

‘Years ago at the old Tottenham Court rd tube station I was coming down the stairs and saw a train at the platform so I pushed through the crowd and jumped on just as the doors closed. Then I realised that the train was empty and people on the platform were pointing and laughing at me. The train was going out of service, so I had an hour on my own in an underground siding to consider my stupidity.’
-paper_truck

6.

‘Being a responsible adult (teenager) and purchasing condoms in the supermarket. This was so long ago that they weren’t locked away, just in boxes on the shelf.

‘I picked up an optimistically big box and it turned out someone had already opened the end. Condoms spilled out, I froze, a child walked past and asked their mum if they could have some sweets too, my soul left my body and I ran away.

‘And then I felt guilty about leaving a mess so I went back and picked them up, but tutting about “somebody” just leaving these here like I was only being a good samaritan.’
-Leelee3303

7.

‘Got on to an empty train carriage let rip a fart l had been holding in and the person in the seat in front of me who had been lying down sat bolt upright got up and moved carriages.’
-rickytea

8.

‘I had a landlord whose last name was something silly sounding. Like Wiggly. Jack wiggly. Anyway. We just referred to him as wiggly. Really emphasising the w. One day he comes over to get us to sign some paperwork or shit. One of the housemates is upstairs. I go and shout. “Wiggly’s here!” I instantly feel faint because I said it the same we would’ve if we were pissing about. I take a moment to act all nonchalant and as I come back into the living room. He goes. “Jack is fine.” I give a cheerful Okidoki. Meanwhile I’m dying inside, throwing myself off a bridge and lighting myself on fire as I fall. I have no idea what we signed. I checked myself every time he came over for maintenance.’
-IamNotAplasticBag

9.

‘Mine also happened in boots…

‘Really hot summer day and I needed deodorant. Went in, there was some promo on so I grabbed it right next to the till.

‘Said to the nice male cashier “oh my god I needed this, it’s so warm out 🥵” and paid.

‘Only when I got outside did I realize it was some sort of femfresh deodorant for ‘down there’…’
-B-owie