It was an unfortunate but highly embarrassing gaffe.  As chair of the social committee for the finance department, Emily had thought arranging a public hot dog eating competition would be a little more original than the usual drinks and curry night.  It was just a small typo.  

“Hi everyone, for a change how about we do something different and raise some money for a charity for our next after work social?  I was thinking of something like a pubic eating contest, like hot dogs or something.  Let me know what you think?”

Damn!  She’d accidentally typed pubic not public.

She immediately tried to recall the email, but the sleazy Dean had already opened and read it.

Her MS Teams instant messenger flashed immediately on the taskbar.

It was Dean. “Hi Emily, I’m up for some pubic eating with you.  LOL!”

He’d been trying it on for weeks.  She’d tried everything to put him off, even pretending she was a lesbian and inventing a girlfriend, but he wasn’t so easily dissuaded.

“We could even practice tonight” read a second IM with a winking emoji.

Enough was enough.  “That’s very inappropriate Dean.  I’m going to forward your messages onto Edward.”

Edward was the company’s Director of Finance. She hoped that would deter him.

Before she could, her phone rang.  “Hi Emily, it’s Edward.  I’ve just seen your email. Unfortunate typo.”

“Oh goodness, it’s so excruciating.”

“Don’t worry about it.  I’m happy to provide a sausage for your buns.  Could help your career…”

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My micro fictions are no longer than 250 words and are inspired by word-of-the-day at www.dictionary.com

The word of the day for 24 October 2023 was “Gaffe“.

All stories © 2023, DBA Lehane. All rights reserved. Please do not use or reproduce in any way without the expressed written permission of the author. Please contact me.

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