The most bizarre thing happened to me. I was accused of saying something I would never say. I denied it, of course.
I confronted my accuser. She re-enacted the circumstances in detail: "Don't you remember. You and I were talking in the foyer and you asked me...."
Suddenly, I remembered. I did say that.
I didn't believe it. How did I do that! How could that have happened? What is the matter with me?
But I didn't mean it the way she took it. I said what I would never mean to say. What was the matter with me?
This happened to me months ago. It's bothered me all this time. I think I know what happened. I didn't mean what I said in the way my listener took it. My words were misinterpreted or misread. My words were perceived in a way that I would never intend.
What I intended to do was discuss the meeting we had just attended. I wanted to know her opinion. My accuser thought I was taking sides and immediately went and told our friend that I was taking sides. I did say what I said, but my words were misinterpreted as taking sides when what I wanted to do was discuss the argument.
Well, I learned a lesson. One: watch my choice of words. I've got to make the purpose of my words clear. Two: _________is a snitch.
