The following are the first three winners of a Most Embarrassing Moments
Contest in New Woman Magazine.
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  "It was the day before my eighteenth birthday. I was living at home,
but my parents had gone out for the evening, so I invited my girlfriend over
for a romantic night alone.  "As we lay in bed after making love, we heard
the telephone ring downstairs.  I suggested to my girlfriend  that I give
her a piggyback ride to the phone.  Since we didn't want to miss the call, we
didn't have time to get dressed.  When we got to the bottom of the stairs, the 
lights suddenly came on and a whole crowd of people yelled,  'SURPRISE!'  My
entire family - aunts, uncles, grandparents, cousins - and  all my friends 
were standing there!  My girlfriend and I were frozen in a state of shock
and embarrassment for what seemed like an eternity. "Since then, no one in
my family has planned a surprise party again."
 
               -Tom Cahill; Poughkeepsie, New York
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 "It was Christmas Eve, and I was on my feet all day working behind the 
cosmetics counter. I decided I would find a place to sit for a moment. I 
spied a tall plastic trash can and plopped down, resting my feet on a 
cardboard box. I allowed my body to ease into the can. About that time 
a few customers came to the register to check out, but I couldn't get 
out of the trash can.  I was stuck; I couldn't believe it.
 
 The customers came around the counter to help me - some pulled my arms 
while others held the can.  Then my  manager came to the counter, wanting to 
know what was going on.  He said he was going to call the fire department, who 
blasted in with sirens and lights.  My hips had created a vacuum, so they had 
to cut me out of the trash can with a giant pair of scissors."
 
           -Linda Evans; Winter Park, Florida
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 "While in line at the bank one afternoon, my toddler decided to release some 
pent-up energy and ran amok.  I was finally able to grab hold of her after 
receiving  looks of disgust and annoyance from other patrons.  I  told her 
that if she did not start behaving "right now", she would be punished.
 To my horror, she looked me in the eye and said in a voice just as
threatening,  'If you don't let me go "right now", I will tell Grandma that I saw 
you kissing Daddy's pee-pee last night!' " 
 The silence was deafening after this enlightening exchange.  Even the tellers 
stopped what they were doing! I mustered up the last of my dignity and walked 
out of the bank with my daughter in tow.  The last thing I heard  when the door 
closed behind me were screams of laughter"
 
           -Amy Richardson; Stafford, Virginia
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