- Date posted
- 11h
i dont know how to stop a spiral
Basically, I was going out with my friends one night in september. 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. 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 — 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. 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 — I’m already nervous because I don’t have a reference. I say to the bartender, “Can I also get a nay-gar-sett” As soon as that left my mouth, in my head I went that cant be right cuz it sounded so SO wrong. Once I realized what I said I felt my face grew hot and I became even more flustered. The bartender looked a bit in disbelief and was slightly taken aback and leaned in closer to hear what I was saying and I think said “you want what?” I then went is that not what it is with a completely embarrassed look on my face and knowing i couldn’t repeat myself bc i feared he thought i said something else. I tried to mention that it was one of the lagers 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 at the menu again to find it and I still couldn’t then out of the corner of my eye I spot another menu and grab it as quick as I can to find it. Finally, I found the menu that we had on our table and pointed to the one I meant to say and said the “NAY-RANG-AN-SET” and then the bartender kinda chuckles and goes “It’s actually pronounced Narragansett” (Repeated it back to me in the correct pronunciation). 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 in disbelief 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” but I also ask to get a shot of whiskey for my friend. He gives me all my drinks and says the total. i gave him all the money that was in my hand and ran back to my table as soon as he turned around to the register. Once I got back to my seat, I realized “Oh my god did it just sound like i said a horrible word” and then I turn to my friend and tell her what happens and she says the first part that I messed up 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. And now Ive been spiraling about it ever since and i feel like a horrible person for even saying something that could remotely sound horrible and I don’t really know what to do when I’m in an anxious spiral like this and how to make it stop.