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The world would be one hell of a boring place without the endless amount of awkward conversations people endure on a daily basis. When you’re in the middle of it, it’s very little fun indeed. We get it. Blushing, sweating and wanting to disappear are some of the very well known adverse effects that come with it. But that’s the price to pay for one heck of a story you gotta tell months and even years later. So in perspective, it’s relatively cheap, right?

So today, we are going on a cringeworthy trip into hilariously painful and embarrassingly awkward exchanges between individuals that have been shared by people online. Scroll down through the collection of priceless convos below, upvote your favorite ones and be sure to share your own awkward convo experiences. And if it feels like you’ve heard similarly cringey dialogues in the first seasons of The Office, it’s likely because only reality can be stranger than fiction.

No one is immune to awkward conversations. I mean, we are all social animals living among fellow human beings, and just as it’s sometimes fun and wonderful to be among them, it's also pretty awkward too. We gotta pay the price for all the fun, right?

So even if we agree that the awkward exchanges you wish would disappear are part of human communication and occasionally we’re gonna get that blushing convo thrown into our daily errands, sometimes the exchanges are so much more complex than that. Especially if you’re dealing with someone who really annoys you. Yep, your colleague, tutor, a friend of friend, you know it.

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Jan Willem ten Dam
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2 years ago

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Foxxy (The Original)
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2 years ago (edited) DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Haha, oops. Yesterday morning my daughter and I were having a chat. She stopped for a minute and started talking into her phone to send a voice message to her bf. I thought she was done and let out a fart. I realised she hadn't finished when she started laughing. She played it back, and yep, you could hear the fart. We said if her bf hears it we will blame the dog.

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Samantha Lomb
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2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I hate those things. It really does seem like they are talking to you and then they always have the nerve to get pissy when you respond as if you routinely look at people's ears before talking

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In order to find out exactly how to remain calm when dealing with people who irritate you, because as you know very well, it’s unavoidable, we spoke with Susan Petang, a certified stress management coach specializing in painful life changes. “For people who are irritating and annoying, ask yourself, 'Why could they be doing that?' Maybe the dog threw up in their shoes. Maybe they had an argument a few minutes ago. Maybe they had a horrible childhood and they don't know any better.”

Susan also reminds us of a truth as old as history: “usually other people's bad behavior has nothing to do with us.” And even if that doesn't justify their behavior, it helps you to stay calmer.

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Narwhal Blast
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2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

No, I would've done the same. She should've been more specific. I want ice cream.

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Evil Hornet
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2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

You just need to change Your name to "Muslim" - the easiest way to live with it

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The next phase when learning to deal with people you don’t find comfortable is setting boundaries and limits. “Most of the time, the best strategy is to let people's irritating behavior go. It's usually not worth your energy to confront every person who steps on your toes or annoys you. Sometimes, though, you may decide that a line has been crossed and someone's behavior has to be stopped so it doesn't have a negative effect on you.”

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Susan gave a useful example: “To do that, use an XYZ statement: 'When you do X, I feel Y, and I'd like Z.' Here's what that might sound like: ‘When you criticize the reports I do, I feel angry and unhappy. I'd like to get some constructive feedback instead, if you don't like the way I'm writing them.’”

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Evil Hornet
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2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

And the award for The Nicest Person in the world goes to...

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Squee She
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2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

She's a sweetheart! I had to read it twice, I thought I must have read it wrong lol

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Lemy Kilmister
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2 years ago (edited) DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Back in the 1990s I was in the country side one night and me and my buddy stopped at what we thought was a pub. We walked in sat down in what we thought was a lounge and an old hippy lady was allready there. She smiled and we said "evenin do you know where the the bar is?" She said "there's a pub down the road, this is my living room" so we took her drinking with us. She ended up asking us to stay at hers which we declined but it a good night anyway.

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Chich
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2 years ago (edited) DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I live in a touristy area. Finally put up a fence and a gate, It was not uncommon to walk out on the deck with my morning coffee to find "guests" wandering around my yard.

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S
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2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I'd love to hear this story from the homeowner's perspective lol

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pmsfo
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2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

"Well in that case, we'll have another round please. After that we'd like to check into our rooms."

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Jo Choto
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2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I was walking with my partner through a really nice neighborhood and came across a door that had a big "OPEN HOUSE" thing hanging on the door. So I said we should go have a look inside just for fun. So we opened the door and walked in and happily greeted the man sitting in the living room. Watching TV. With his slippers on. Looking horrified. "Who are you?" Yeah, turns out it was some advertising for an open house somewhere else that had been hung on this guy's door handle, and a few others.

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Sinkvenice
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

How can you mistake a house for a bar? Surely there would've been more than one table outside if it were. That woman sounds so lovely, how accommodating! :-)

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Angela Coker
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2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

And they didn't specify a brand of beer, just ordered "a beer" like in a movie? In a bottle or a glass? It sounds fishy.

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Ashers
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2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I did the same years ago in the middle of nowhere in France, whilst on a cycling holiday. Took shelter from the rain in what I thought was a cafe. It wasn't, it was someone's house, I only realised when I tried to pay for the drink they gave me.

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Wistiti
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

That's hilarious! Glad they happen to someone friendly. I guarantee it was a holiday during off season!

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Heather Steinbrink
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I once joined a company picnic as a small child. I'm not sure what pathetic thing I did to get a family to "adopt" me and feed me. I was gone long enough that my mom and uncle came looking for me.

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julie son
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Now I have to visit Corfu. :) I'm not a beer drinker, but if the people there are so friendly, I wanna go. :)

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Kishibe Angelo
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

she played along with it omg this is the best and funniest thing ever

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HellCat
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

and where in Corfu do we find this amazing free beer table?!

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Salty Wild Hair
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

This also happened to a friend of mine in Crete. She was rolling up the hills on a vespa and stopped for coffee. She made lifelong friends with the family and had the daughter in her wedding.

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Riley Quinn
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

She could get a little side hustle going if enough tourists wander onto her property.

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Lisa Greene
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Oh wow! The second post where people just give total strangers food or drink bc they are just nice people. Gives me hope for the human race

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Marco Hub-Dub
Community Member
2 years ago (edited) DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I’ve made somewhat similar mistakes while way off the beaten and far away from backpacker/trustafarian paths in India, Thailand, Cambodia and Vietnam. People too nice to let me know they were nott running a business and just accommodating me.

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greenbean
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

What an incredibly nice person. I can see however, so many possibilities this could go wrong...

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BasedWang
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Oh mannnn I woulda had to run out and buy her a sixer or something and bring it back... How nice

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De Gueb
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2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Driving in marocco I was stop to at a gas station to use the toilets. I followed the signs and walk into a big toilet with a trough. I did my business and a to Moroccans walk in. It wasn't the toilet it was a room to wash before prayer.

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Marco Conti
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2 years ago (edited) DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Put yourself in her shoes. She is probably posting on Reddit this very moment "Some weird guy asked me if he could pet a muffin I was holding" (I figured that "...he could pet my muffin..." would sound even weirder)

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Most importantly, tone and attitude are everything! “There may be a day when you might irritate someone else—so how would you want to be spoken to? Be the change you want to see, because your actions are teaching others how you want to be treated,” the stress management coach concluded.

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Samantha Lomb
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2 years ago (edited) DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

In fairness I've never heard of wine served by the liter even in metric countries. In Russia its glass or bottle.

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Marco Conti
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2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Reminds me of my dad when he forgot his glasses and asked my mother who the weird guy by the door was. The "weird guy" was a coat hanger in a restaurant.

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Mihai Mara
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2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Tesco lad trying to get out of an awkward situation: "nooo, it's part of the meal deal" :D

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Mihai Mara
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2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

The customer: "I was afraid to ask, but yes, I would like them in a bag" :) *Po-po-po-poker face po-po-poker face*

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Narwhal Blast
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2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

This is my nightmare when I go shoe shopping: that someone will try on or steal my shoes...

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Davo gifman
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2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

That's hilarious! It's almost as funny as falling down, and eating ass.🥴😁😆🤣

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Kendra Miller
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2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Librarians help a LOT of people. There is a good chance they didn't know you. They were probably ready to point you in the direction of the bathroom except you turned and left. They wouldn't have known what to do with the money so it would have been entered as a donation at the end of the day. Lastly, library accounts expire after a year and at my library are deleted after two years of inactivity, meaning no record of the original fine. It's been three years, it's time to go back and start afresh.

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Donkey boi
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2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

That's why I always make surely to cheek what I've typed before I press scent!

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Luther von Wolfen
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2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Same thing happened to my grandmother. She thought her son (my dad) was calling from college. It was actually some other college kid trying to call his mom. They had a nice chat before they figured it out.

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Davo gifman
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2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Well let's hope this story comes to mind if he ever asks you to marry him.

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Monday
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2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I did something similar....We had a second unscheduled school assembly one week (the first was because a student had died) and asked my friend group "geez who died this time?"...it was a teacher. He was murdered. We got to go home early.

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Narwhal Blast
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2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

First of all, maybe they should've started with that and secondly, please learn how to phrase, no matter your position. Not taking orders seems like a good response.

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