Oops.

Sometimes, things said shouldn’t have been.

Because sometimes little ears are hearing . . .

And shouldn’t be.

Let me tell you about it . . .

Mom had invited some of her friends over for tea and a visit.

The house had been scrubbed inside and out.

The kids, ditto.

Furniture had been arranged.

Re-arranged.

Sighed over.

Okay, admittedly, what was said at this juncture was directed to no one and almost under Mom’s breath.

Just not enough under her breath: “I sure hope Mrs. (name-withheld-because-we-don’t-want-this-to-happen-again-EVER. Or NWBWDWTTHAE, for short) doesn’t choose to sit here. This antique chair of mother’s is pretty delicate and she is so heavy.”

FYI. Just because kids don’t appear to be listening, it doesn’t follow that they aren’t.

Moving on . . .

Little sister was well within hearing.

And understanding.

And . . . eeep . . . recording.

A short time later, the ladies started arriving. Including the aforementioned NWBWDWTTHAE.

The woman hovered uncertainly near the previously-discussed chair.

And that’s when little sister took it upon herself to save the day. Swooping in quickly, she smiled at the woman. “You can’t sit here,” she said in her most authoritative voice. “Because you’re too fat.”

I know you’ve had those occasions when you spoke without thinking. Or when something you said was repeated to the wrong person.

When the embarrassment is so thick and deep you want to just sink through the floor.

Take comfort in knowing that it’s happened to all of us.

To some of us, more than once.

We call ourselves the Girls of the Gaffe.

Welcome.