If only email had a "retrieve message, wipe memory of recipient" function
The events of this story happened a while back, but I was reminded of it recently after sending not one, but TWO emails to the wrong people. Luckily, neither was embarrassing (one flight itinerary, one reference to calling someone whose phone number I don't actually have.) Unlike the story which follows!
Since this is unlocked, I am changing names and identifying details.
I got a mass email about something like save the whales from a person whose name I read as... I'll call him Josh Rosenthal. Josh Rosenthal is a guy I know, about my age, not a close friend but a buddy I occasionally hang out with when our paths cross. A funny guy. I've told him stories about my dating woes, and he laughs.
I replied, "Hey Josh, long time no hear! What's up? Did you hear that Felicia [a mutual friend] got engaged? Not much is up with me, but I did go on a date last week - and no, I didn't get laid. When I got into my car, he tried to kiss me. I ducked and he stuck his tongue in my ear. And that's the most action I've seen all year. Hope all's well with you."
Readers, I mailed this missive.
The next day, I found this reply: "Hi, Rachel, all's well with me. Who's Felicia? I hope the incident you mention wasn't too disturbing. Stay safe."
I read that in some confusion. Surely Josh knew Felicia. And what was with the weird response to my tongue-in-ear story?
Then I double-checked the sender. The save the whales email had not come from Josh Rosenthal, but from Josh RosenBLUM - a movie producer quite a bit older than me, with whom I had a purely professional relationship, as in I'd pitched a movie to him a while back, which apparently put me on his mailing list.
And to whom I had randomly sent a non-sequitor, TMI message about getting my ear penetrated, in response to a mass mailing about whales.
I was so flustered that I attempted to cover my ass by writing, "Hi, Josh, Felicia is [another producer - this is actually true] whom I mentioned during my pitch [who knows, but I certainly could have]. I mentioned the date because the guy in question was a big environmental activist, and your whale message reminded me of that. [Not even remotely true.] It wasn't disturbing, just a bit ungentlemanly for an activist. Best wishes, Rachel."
And then I clicked send.
An instant later, I thought, "What the hell was I thinking? Why didn't I just explain what had happened? That would have made so much more sense and been less embarrassing than what I actually did. Now, rather than sending one inappropriate message followed by an explanation and apology, I've sent him TWO inappropriate and bizarre messages!"
Has anyone else been the victim of internet crossed wires, or compounded an innocent mistake with an attempt to cover your ass which made it much worse than if you'd just confessed? Please comfort me with your own stories of humiliation and woe.
Since this is unlocked, I am changing names and identifying details.
I got a mass email about something like save the whales from a person whose name I read as... I'll call him Josh Rosenthal. Josh Rosenthal is a guy I know, about my age, not a close friend but a buddy I occasionally hang out with when our paths cross. A funny guy. I've told him stories about my dating woes, and he laughs.
I replied, "Hey Josh, long time no hear! What's up? Did you hear that Felicia [a mutual friend] got engaged? Not much is up with me, but I did go on a date last week - and no, I didn't get laid. When I got into my car, he tried to kiss me. I ducked and he stuck his tongue in my ear. And that's the most action I've seen all year. Hope all's well with you."
Readers, I mailed this missive.
The next day, I found this reply: "Hi, Rachel, all's well with me. Who's Felicia? I hope the incident you mention wasn't too disturbing. Stay safe."
I read that in some confusion. Surely Josh knew Felicia. And what was with the weird response to my tongue-in-ear story?
Then I double-checked the sender. The save the whales email had not come from Josh Rosenthal, but from Josh RosenBLUM - a movie producer quite a bit older than me, with whom I had a purely professional relationship, as in I'd pitched a movie to him a while back, which apparently put me on his mailing list.
And to whom I had randomly sent a non-sequitor, TMI message about getting my ear penetrated, in response to a mass mailing about whales.
I was so flustered that I attempted to cover my ass by writing, "Hi, Josh, Felicia is [another producer - this is actually true] whom I mentioned during my pitch [who knows, but I certainly could have]. I mentioned the date because the guy in question was a big environmental activist, and your whale message reminded me of that. [Not even remotely true.] It wasn't disturbing, just a bit ungentlemanly for an activist. Best wishes, Rachel."
And then I clicked send.
An instant later, I thought, "What the hell was I thinking? Why didn't I just explain what had happened? That would have made so much more sense and been less embarrassing than what I actually did. Now, rather than sending one inappropriate message followed by an explanation and apology, I've sent him TWO inappropriate and bizarre messages!"
Has anyone else been the victim of internet crossed wires, or compounded an innocent mistake with an attempt to cover your ass which made it much worse than if you'd just confessed? Please comfort me with your own stories of humiliation and woe.