I was only doing as I was TOLD
A long time ago, while in a particularly desperate unrequited love situation with a mate of mine who I will call Jane for now, I was invited to her flatmate's 21st. On arrival the flatmate in question told me that not only had Jane just dumped her boyfriend, she was hinting that she had done so because she could no longer control her true feelings for me. Wheee! This 21st was a sit down meal with lots of the birthday girl's family around so I decided to wait until it was over before making my move on Jane... The flatmate's dad however was a big, bluff rugger bugger and decided to liven things up by getting everyone at the table, grannies and grandads included, to tell the most tasteless joke that they knew as the evening went on. I got picked last. I had had a lot to drink. But still, MY joke wasn't as bad as some of the ones that had already been trotted out - or so I thought. I stood up, "What do you call an anorexic girl with thrush? A quarter pounder with cheese!". Eerie silence followed by a combination of growls/sobs from the family end of the table. Turns out the flatmate's little sister, a rather slim girl who, due to my romance clouded mood, I had failed to notice was not in attendance that night, had just been commited to hospital with anorexia nervosa. Her father had started the tasteless joke thing in order to try and cheer the family up a bit. He could not comprehend that I would just *happen* to pick that gag and so, assuming that I was taking the piss, chinned me. His wife and other daughter cried a lot and I was blamed for ruining her birthday.

Proving once and for all that there is no justice in the universe, I still got laid. However, I can't shake the feeling that what should have been the most romantic night of my young life was cruelly stolen from me and replaced with a pity f*ck...
(scunnydelight, Wed 21 Apr 2004, 16:40, Reply)