The day job (hah! right now it’s the day and night job) is messing with my life right now.
So, if there was a Regency person (Thing 1) and in a moment of madness Thing 1 called a certain other person (thing 2) a warty toad with all the personality of a bug and then Thing 1 turns around that THERE THAT PERSON WAS (Thing 2) and Thing 2 was about to hand Thing 1 a gift of incredible thoughtfulness:
what is the best possible apology Thing 1 could make?
Answer in the comments. You can create whatever constellation of personages you need to fully answer the question.
Was the gift of incredible thoughtfulness the apology?
Carolyn, so sorry the day and night job is taking over. It happens in the working world and what can you do except do the work?
I get this. You say something very insulting about a person only to discover that they overhear you. And, worse, they were about to do something very very nice for you. How do you apologize.
I think the only think to do is say something like, “I am so ashamed. You have shown yourself to be a wonderful person and I’ve shown myself to be petty and mean. I do not expect you to forgive me, but I am deeply deeply sorry.”
How’s that?
I guess, “Hey, did you hear? It’s Opposite Day” won’t work, will it?
Probably say something like, “I am really sorry you heard that. I am an idiot; I get anxious when I really like and appreciate someone and try to push them away before they can even get close to me. And I have a need to prove to everyone else that I don’t care about them either.”
“So calling me a warty toad is your way of saying you like me?”
“Um, yes.”
Opposite day…good one, Megan.
I like Diane’s answer. “I am so ashamed.”
Yes opposites day is a good one, but no it won’t work.
Diane has the right idea. But really, what could you honestly say to lessen the sting of comments such as those? The public apology is a necessity, then a private one and an explanation of why you said it. But first one had best search your heart why you made such comments in the first place. The fact that you had such negative feeling for her and she obviously was unaware of them and didn’t share them needs some consideration.