Tequila
I hadn't worked in an office for very long when I had to attend a meeting at Eversheds, a big law firm. I was essentially there to make up the numbers and was instructed not to say anything unless necessary, and just smile politely.

Anyway the first thing I did was panic when a caterer put a plate of biscuits on the table. I picked up the plate and took a Rocky Robin, I'd never seen such a luxury biscuit at a meeting before, it was wrapped and everything. Remembering my manners I offered the woman sitting beside me one.

"Rocky Robin?"

She declined, but instead of leaving it at that I actually got up, and walked around the outside of the table of around 20 people offering each one a biscuit.

"Rocky Robin? Rocky Robin?"

When I eventually sat down someone said "OK.... perhaps can we start then?"
The meeting began, but a few minutes later the worst possible thing happened - I crossed my leg and set off my musical sock. I don't know if you've heard the tequila song, but its a really silly tune with someone shouting "TEQUILA!" over and over again.

The room fell silent and I pretended not to hear anything, but it just went on and on.
The woman in charge of the meeting said "Oh dear, can we have that phone off please?"
I said "I'm terribly sorry, its my sock, it should stop soon".
The woman said "your sock??", so by way of explanation I put my leg up on the desk and said "Yes. Father Christmas gave it to me".

This is slightly off topic as I wasn't told off, the people I was with who didn't win their contract were so pale with rage they just didn't speak to me for ages, but I've never been asked along to anything like that since.
( browser still relating boring anecdotes into a void on, Tue 25 Sep 2007, 11:05, Reply)