- Date posted
- 11h
My OCD has taken a turn for the worse
Basically, I went out with my friends last Friday. I had a pretty decent portion of wine before we all left (and not on very much food) so I was already feeling tipsy before we even got to the bar. So we get there and everything is going great. I had a beer and my friends and I took a shot. Then it got to a point where we wanted a second round and I had to go up and order for one of my friends. I was going to get another round of what I was drinking, but my friend asked for something I had never heard — Narragansett Lager. Already, I had no idea what it was and since I had to order it I was nervous about saying it right and already i’m thinking if I don’t say this right it could sound really bad. Anyways, I make my way to the bar and keep repeating the drink my friend told me in my head and tell myself ok if I don’t say Narragansett right I can always just say it’s a lager. The bartender comes up to me and I give him my order first — Tecate and a tequila shot. Then I’m prepping myself to say my friend’s order and try and see if it’s on the menu in the bar table. However, I look down and it’s a different menu than the one at our table where I had tried to memorize it. Now, I’m worrying because I have nothing to reference to in case I mess up or can point to. Then comes the unfortunate moment — already I’m nervous because I don’t have a reference, my speech is a bit slurred because I’ve had a couple drinks in me, and I already don’t really know how to pronounce the word correctly so I just have to guess. Then I say to the bartender, “Can I also get a nagersett (Nay-ger-set) ” As soon as that left my mouth, in my head I went oh my god that was so not right and sounded so so wrong. Once we both realized what I said, my face grew hot and I became even more flustered and the bartender leaned in to hear and was slightly taken aback or either in disbelief. At this point I should mention that the bartender is black. He leaned in closer with eyes a bit widened to hear what I was saying and I think he said “You want what?” or “What was that?” in a bit of a sharp tone (can’t really remember anymore) Knowing I couldn’t repeat myself out loud bc if that wasn’t the right way to say it I wasn’t going to get it right the second time so I tried to mention that it started with an N and went “uh uh it’s one of your lagers?” Also, I should mention I didn’t even pronounce lager right and kept going back and forth between law-ger and lay-ger. Then I try and look for a different menu and grab a different one quickly. Finally, I found the menu that we had the drinks on it and pointed to the one I meant to say and said the “NAY-RANG-AN-SET” and then the bartender goes “Oh you mean Narragansett” (Repeated it back to me in the correct pronunciation) and kinda chuckles or cracks a smile (I think I don’t know if he was amused or relieved all i know i was so distraught) At this point, I’m so embarrassed because how could I have slipped up that bad and basically said a completely different, and not so great sounding word. After he corrected me, I literally put my hand to my head and said, “Oh my god I’m so sorry.” Now this is where I get worried because I don’t remember if he said “It’s fine” or “It happens” or “No worries” while he gets our drinks. He then says your total comes to $15 so gave him my that plus tip and immediately ran away before he could turn back from the register. Once I got back to my seat, I realized “Oh my god I just said a horrible word” and then I turn to my friend and tell her what happens and she says the first part out loud and we both go “Oh that does not sound good.” She tries to reassure me that you couldn’t have been the only one to have pronounced it like that, but in my head I’m just thinking how did I even come up to say it like that. Then I begin to spiral because I tell my other friend the next day about it and when I finished telling her she gave me a really worried look and I could almost see her perception of myself changing to this horrible person. Now I begin spiraling thinking no normal person would mess it up that bad or even come remotely close to pronouncing it that bad and start question everything I’ve ever stood for and valued because I said something that sounded almost exactly like a bad word. I keep telling myself if I could say something that sounded like it, it basically meant that I said it. I’ve lost countless hours of sleep and waking hours over these past few days ruminating over this and constantly in my head repeating the word I said to the bartender and the correct pronunciation to prove that this was something I had meant to say and that I had actually said the word. I feel like an imposter to myself and the people around me and like I should be prepping an apology for when the day comes that it’s revealed i’m a horrible person deep down.