What have you taken literally and it got you into trouble?

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For example, did you ask a genuine question about a delicate topic, thinking it is ok to ask it out loud (innocently)...and you were shocked that people laughed or became angry? Or did you hear someone say something ( a metaphor or a joke) and you took it literally?

I don't know if this was asked before.

I didn't get in trouble but...

One day at work Reggie says to me, "Mark, holler back there at Jesse for me." Without giving it a second thought, or a first one, I hollered back there at Jesse. Everybody laughed. Reggie said, "Geez Mark, I coulda done that!" Jesse came and tried to feign indignation and said, "Dont' ever do that again!" but he couldn't say it with a straight face.

People have started conversation lines that I didn't realize weren't to be continued, and I continued (asking a question, adding a comment, furthering a discussion or joke). I've been rebuffed many times, either with silence, or with an instruction ("not at dinner," "I don't want to talk about it," etc.).
I don't understand why it's okay to start something but not to continue it. And if it's not something one wants to talk about, then why bring it up?

Also, I take sarcasm and jokes literally, which often results in my doing something I didn't need to do (I suppose it'd be good practical joke fodder) or feeling slighted when it wasn't meant and responding to my interpretation. I do this more often than the first, and I constantly hear ,"yeah, that's what I meant," or "I was joking," or I have to ask whether or not something is a joke.

Uhmmm....

when i was in Primary School, our teacher brought in her beloved chldhood stuffed white bunny rabbit...

and she said to us "no children, im going out of the room for 5 minutes, while im away i want you to paint the bunny rabbit"

needless to say, i went at it with gusto...

anyway, five minutes later i hear a shreak coming from the door to the classroom, i turn to see my horrified teacher screaming, and i like, look between the teacher, the rabbit and my brush....several times, then twig that the other children are using paper......................

One of the school bullies at my old high school dropped their packet of buscuits and they fell everywhere. I was close when it happened and laughed.

The bully said..."Are you laughing at me!?" (it actually meant "stop laughing at me or i'll hurt you!".

I said..."Yes i'm laughing,".

Needless to say, I spent most of that lunch break hiding in a toilet stall so I didn't get my head punched.

When my best friend says things i get upset, and she says "I'M NOT BEING SARCASTIC, IS IT REALLY THAT HARD TO TELL"

Last year in HS my english teacher was joking around with me and I didn't know it. He sarcastically accused me of doing something I didn't do; I freaked and started yelling at him and I was really mad. He them told me that he said it sarcastically and that it was a joke. I disagreed and then I felt really bad for blowing up at him. I would have to say that this was my worst experience of taking sarcasm literally.

Years ago back in University one of the professors had the habit of using lots of rhetorical questions in his lecture. I answered them all. One day he stopped class, glared at me and said "Will you shut up?!"

Last edited by tailfins1959 on 02 Jun 2008, 2:36 pm, edited 1 time in total.

I have the nickname Captain Obvious. Let's leave it at that

I do this a lot. I have even answered questions that weren't meant to be answered.

I don't think I have ever gotten in trouble for being literal but I do remember the time when I was 11. My mother and I were coming home from the funeral and I kept teasing her on the way back. She told me "Stop that teasing." So I stopped that tease and did another one. Everything I did, she kept telling me to stop that tease. But when we were in Washington, close to Oregon, she told me she will kick me out of the car if I didn't stop that teasing. So while she was inside a building (a gas station I think) I open the air vent.
It didn't take her long to notice the vent was open because cold air was blowing on her. I snicker trying hard not to laugh. But Mom got mad and started yelling at me. She pulled the car over and told me to get out. I wave to her as she drives off. But she stopped up ahead and told me to get in. I don't remember if she yelled at me some more or not but I do remember the next thing I knew, she was crying. I asked her what was wrong. She told me everyone keeps teasing her, my father, my brothers, my uncle, me, everyone. She even told me she kept telling me to stop teasing but I continued. I told her she told me to stop that teasing, not all teasing. That's when she told me she meant she didn't want me teasing her at all. So I said "Why didn't you say stop all teasing?"

When I was about 15 a bunch of us had been out somewhere muddy (can't remember exactly where or why, maybe had been picking magic mushrooms). Anyway, later on we all went round my friend's house and his Mum said "take your boots off boys". Everyone except me was wearing boots but I was wearing trainers so I didn't take them off and then trampled mud all over her carpet and a big fluffy white rug.

I always use "How are You?" that way otherwise good morning/afternoon/night People never tell me more than fine though.

I got in trouble at school when we had sub. Everyone was giving her a hard time. My neighbour asked me to explain a question they didn't get. The teacher asked me what I was doing and when I told her said "Why don't you come up and explain to the whole class if your so clever" or something.
I got up, everyone started clapping and I was halfway to the blackboard when she lost it.


didn't get in trouble for it but I was talking to someone
Her "where they indian"
Me: " No, caucasian"
" Why don't you just say white"
"Because they were not an albino, they were caucasian"

In brownies the leader used the "pull your socks up" phrase, you can guess what I did next

There's loads of good ones but I've forgotten them all

"What's up?"
"The celing."

It happens a lot but not always in bad ways. Sometimes people joke with me and I take it literally. I'll answer the joke in a way where I take it seriously like it was a question or statement and after they say, I was just kidding and lots of times I can't tell the difference. This is why I hate joking. I just want people to be honest with me. Most times, I avoid answering any questions that I think would be inappropriate even though at times, I feel like answering them.

Nothing, actually. In my mind I take things literally, but I've always realized that what's in my mind a fact isn't always one in real life. That kept me out of trouble.