» Foot in Mouth Syndrome

A bit of "Who's ya father?"
A proud new Greek father, Stathis, explained to me that in his family the first born boys are all given the same "family" first name, "Stathis". So I think he himself had been a first son. I wasn't listening too closely, he might have said "Antonis", his brothers name.

His wife was still in the maternity unit having just had his first son.

I met her some months later and was engaging in the usual new baby congratulations. I momentarily couldn't remember exactly what I'd been told. I stumbled, mid gush, wanting to use the baby's name. So I blurted "It was Stathis? wasn't it?"

And got the reply "Yes! Who the hell did you think it was?"

Aggg. I've never had a chance to explain.

Oh well, if I'd blurted "It was Antonis? wasn't it?" instead, she could have thought I was suggesting she'd been shagging her brother in law. So, either way, I think I was doomed.

Hmmm. Maybe that was why she was so oversensitive.
(Fri 23rd Apr 2004, 12:42, More)