What I Said

Have you ever said something that made perfect sense, but came out meaning something entirely different? I'm sure you have. Hasn't everyone? My problem is that I seem to do it much too often. And, even when everyone around me knows exactly what I mean, they always catch the "other" meaning before I do. They burst out laughing and once again I'm embarrassed.

It recently happened again and has reminded me of some other blunders when I spoke without thinking first.

This time I was with my youngest son and his daughter. Each month I rotate a special day with T. and one of his kids. This month it was my Grand Daughter, L. We went out to eat in a nearby town and then stopped at the mansion where the house and grounds are open (and free) to the public. It had originally been the home of a botanist and the house, gardens and hot houses are a big local attraction. You're free to wander as you please. Wandering with you are peacocks, peahens, and guinea hens. There is a duck pond and several trails through the woods. We always hit the hot houses first. (Actually we took L. through the mansion first.) I love the hot house rooms of exotic plants, cactus plants and full grown tropical trees reaching to very high glass ceilings. Then the duck pond and then the trails.

My downfall involved a discovery in the woods of a kind of Baldcypress not usually found in our climate. I was surprised to see nuts in the tree. I didn't know they had nuts. (Do you see where this is going?) Now, I don't know a lot about all kinds of trees, but I think I know that trees with flowers and nuts usually have the equivalent of a male and female. But, I only saw the one tree and I asked my kids (both generations) if they saw another tree like that one. Then I found it and I said, "There it is. That must be the male.....it doesn't have any nuts."
And my son totally lost it. And my Grand Daughter wailed, "Gra...aa...m Lee!"

At least this time no one heard me but my family. I haven't always been as lucky.

I've mentioned in the past that my C.B. Radio use to get me in trouble. (I don't even have one anymore or I'd still be in trouble.) I'm reminded of my biggest goof ever. I almost caused a semi truck to run over the curb.

I was waiting to make a left turn into the dentist office. The big rig I had to wait on was a friend and he could see where I was going. He got on the radio and made some comment about my upcoming pleasant experience. (Sometimes I tended to forget that the whole world was listening.....but couldn't see what we saw. I was just talking to a friend.) I answered him something about going to get my hole filled. The truck did a funny little kind of a jump and the radio lit up.

I never did live that one down.