Inaugural Balls
By AmHm • Jan 21st, 2009 at 5:38 pm • Category: Politics| Hot: |  |  | | | |
Incredibly awkward moments are my specialty. Take this morning for example. While browsing around on MSN.com, settling in to my morning routine, I stumbled across a byline that made me laugh out loud. Here- I’ve taken a screenshot:
Ahahahahah! Those dumbasses! As my friend Glen noted, there should be a “that’s-what-she-said” editor- someone to be on the lookout for varying forms of crassly intrepreted newsspeak. Alas, my future career has not yet been created- so sue me for doing a little freelance work!
I naturally took a screenshot (above) and subtly pointed out their mistake. Then I emailed said picture to a few of my colleagues, and we had a good laugh. Give us a break. It was early, and we’re immature. So boisterous, perhaps, was our snickering that the normally quiet dude who sits in the back of our office (a guy old enough to be our grandfather) became curious. “Whatcha guys laughing at?” the sweet older man asked, arising from his chair. “I’ve gotta see.”
Now, this older character (we’ll call him Earl), is likely one of the nicest guys you’ll ever meet. Quiet polite and always smiling, mustached Earl just moved into our room from his own, previously private office. He generally keeps to himself, and we try not to bother him. Did I mention Earl is the husband of the vice-president of our company. Oh, that too. So, that’s Earl. And he’s coming this way.
I froze, stammered, “uh. um. oh- okay. Yeah.” And before I knew it, kindly old Earl was standing behind me, leaning down and reading my screen over my shoulder. After a moment he turned to me and said “I’m not sure I get it.” I couldn’t respond. My hands fluttered over the mouse and I began to laugh the laugh of giddy hopelessness. I raised my palms. A peace offering. After a moment, Earl arose to go back to his seat. “Oh!” he said, turning back to me in a moment of realization. “Oh, I get it,” he said, Flashing me a thumbs up, as he strolled back to his desk . “Inaugural Balls…right? Obama’s got balls.”
