My family thrives on sarcasm, satire, and silliness, with a tiny dash of the snarky for good measure. It’s in the genetic pattern, and I can’t remember a time or age when we weren’t all generally a bunch of smarty-pants, irreverent goofs around home. I can’t even remember the first time that I began to realize that not everybody speaks that language. Some people think it too flippant (or possibly, blasphemous, at times), and some simply and plainly see the entire world in a very literal light. I can certainly understand how, to them, my family’s way of communicating would be mystifying and, very probably, make us seem really dimwitted or alien, or both. I don’t mind. It’s most likely true, about me, anyway.
There are times, however, when I have well and truly put my foot in it. And I wish that I either could have read the situation better or had simply paid better attention. Sometimes it’s not nice to be flippant or jokey or snarky, or even to say the direct opposite of what I mean merely to lighten the mood or put someone at ease. Such stuff can go very wrong in an instant if I fail to notice that the party on the receiving end doesn’t converse in that language, or doesn’t appreciate what I think of as its lightheartedness.
But to be honest, most of the time I just think it’s their loss.
With one particular exception: I do feel especially ridiculous when I’ve been consistently playful and perhaps outlandish in my communications with a person and I want to get serious for a moment, especially when I want to say something complimentary. Did it now sound like I was insulting my friend because I was uncharacteristically nice and kindly? If I think it humorous to be droll and dry and sarcastic, maybe I’ve gotten too far from being nice! What’s a poor fool to do? Most likely, fall back on my old ways and hope for the best. At least I’ve done marvelously well in my life at surrounding myself with people who are almost superhuman in interpreting my chatter with generous and accepting ears and open minds, so I haven’t yet been banished from polite society despite my shortcomings.
And if you’re one of the many who have thus given me a pass, I thank you deeply. No, I really, really do mean that!
Art-Colored Glasses 
I don’t know if you’ve seen the Canadian TV series, Corner Gas? They are making a movie for release this Christmas. They also have a presence on Facebook and I’m following the fun and games. Long story short: today they asked, which character is most like you? My choice is Wanda, the smart smart-mouth smarty pants wise ass.
Oh boy, do I ever relate to saying the wrong thing at the wrong time, or the wrong thing in the wrong company. It actually happens quite a lot at home – hubby, even though he can crack wise, is mostly black and white, and takes things very literally.
Funny thing is, any time I get myself in hot water as far as misunderstanding someone else, it is when I take stuff literally. I miss the subtext, the innuendo. Seems to be a one-way street for me.
Haha! It sounds pretty much like the way Richard and I operate. Both full of absurdities and outrageous commentary, and both hoist on our own petards more often than not—most commonly, when we’re having those ridiculous stubborn ‘disagreement’ discussions that go on until we realize at some point that we were both defending the identical side of the issue. 😀 No wonder I like you so much!! 😉
hee hee… oh I know those arguments very well indeed! 😀
xo
Well I always put my foot in it. I even did the unmentionable the other day and asked someone if they were expecting. I just died when they said no. Can’t believe I did that. Online it’s so hard to catch everyone’s meanings sometimes.
I had lots of opportunities on this recent choir tour to make all sorts of faux pas with a hundred fellow-travelers, most of whom I knew until then only to exchange pleasantries with in passing. And I managed to take full advantage of most of those opportunities! Good thing they’re generally a very easygoing bunch, so I’m still here to tell the tale. 😀
me too………..their loss.
Terry
I’m glad that my friends (by default, I suppose) are all very tolerant people, though!! 😉
Their loss and our gain! I adore your dragon!!!
He tells me he adores you, too. And he’s *not* being sarcastic about it. 😀
xoxo
aw that’s so cute…tell “him” thank you 🙂