How would you handle this?
By crazynurse
@crazynurse (7482)
United States
February 16, 2007 1:45pm CST
I was standing around talking to some fellow faculty members and administration officials while waiting on a meeting to begin. I happened to notice that a male administrator's fly was open. Should I have said anything to him? If so, how? I didn't because I was afraid it would embarrass him and also I didn't want him to wonder what I was doing looking in that area! (He was holding a plate of food about waist high and had mentioned that he 'really didn't need all this because he was supposed to be dieting' and I glanced to see what food he was talking about) How would you handle this situation?
6 people like this
18 responses
@mari61960 (4893)
• United States
16 Feb 07
That's so funny when that happens...lol I would have just stood in front of him and said, "can I hold your plate while you zip your fly?" That way he is blocked from view and can be discreat....lol Of course if I knew the person well I would make a joke about it.
2 people like this
@crazynurse (7482)
• United States
16 Feb 07
What a funny and creative way to handle it! The humor might have helped us both with the embarrassment!
@inked4life (4224)
• United States
16 Feb 07
You should have said something like.."wow, I didn't realize that cocktail wieners were on the menu", although that may have been more embarrasing to him than you.
1 person likes this
@crazynurse (7482)
• United States
16 Feb 07
Okay, that's it. You owe me for this ruined keyboard. It is covered in coffee. I have coffee coming from my nostrils and I might have just wet my pants. (haven't checked yet. That was absolutely hilarious.
@NucknFutz (180)
• United States
16 Feb 07
Im not sure..perhaps she should have asked for the foot long!
@lauriefnp (5109)
• United States
17 Feb 07
Look at it this way: he would very likely have been much more embarrassed than you were! I would probably have quietly and discreetly whispered it to him so that he didn't embarrass himself further by going the rest of the afternoon with his fly wide open. I would appreciate it if someone told me that I was trailing toilet paper from my shoe, for example... There would be no need for you to explain how you noticed- he would most likely have been so embarrassed and grateful that you noticed that he wouldn't wonder why.
1 person likes this
@crazynurse (7482)
• United States
18 Feb 07
Yeah, I'm starting to feel (hindsight) that maybe I should have eaten my embarrassement and told him.
@sweetlady10 (3611)
• United States
16 Feb 07
This is a very complecated situation. If I notice that happening with a women I would wurely tell her, but it is difficult for me to tell a men. Definitely I would ignore the fact as you did.
Last week when I was doing shopping at Walmart, I noticed a very unusual situation. One man was walking in between aisle with open fly and showing everything. I feel very embarrased myself. I wonder he was doing it intentionaly or what.
1 person likes this
@fluffleshark (810)
• Ireland
17 Feb 07
Oh my how embarrassing!!! I don't think I would have had the courage to say anything! I think that if we were going into a 'normal' meeting, where everyone's 'lower halves' would be hidden under the table anyway, I wouldn't have said anything. I think however that if he was going to give a presentation or something, or go up on a stage where all eyes would be on him, I would have forced myself to tell him lol!
1 person likes this
@fluffleshark (810)
• Ireland
17 Feb 07
LOL! I wouldn't worry...!!! I'm sure everyone just had a quiet 'inner giggle' and ignored it lol!
@crazynurse (7482)
• United States
17 Feb 07
He WAS going to be giving a presentation...that is why I felt so badly that I couldn't force myself! I don't know what ended up happening, as I was called away to the hospital.
1 person likes this
@AskAlly (3625)
• Canada
24 Feb 07
In the spirit of friendship I would have told him. I had to tell a director of a company that he had a huge booger in his nose just as he was going into a meeting. All others around him had not said a word. I just could not let him go into that meeting room with that colosal booger hanging there.
I grabbed a tissue and led him around a corner. He was embarrassed but after that it became a joke between the 2 of us. Each time he would pass by me he would rub his nose and I would wink back at him.
I would really want someone to tell me, so I pass the courtesy along.
1 person likes this
@crazynurse (7482)
• United States
1 Mar 07
HaHaHa! I just got back to this discussion tonight. Sorry to be so long. I love it, "colosal booger." My husband calls them nose goblins!
@JoyfulOne (6232)
• United States
17 Feb 07
Been there done that, got the tee shirt...This is always one of those darned if you do, darned if you don't scenarios. I've handled it both ways. The ones I have mentioned it to were embarrassed, but thankful. And the ones I didn't mention it were embarrassed, and asked why nobody told them. I'm in favor of telling discretely, and saying something to the tune of: I couldn't help noticing but did you know....
1 person likes this
@ephi4real (564)
• Nigeria
17 Feb 07
Well, I must say, it sounds like a difficult situation. You could have just ignored it, but that means he would have still gone around school with an open fly. If you had warned him right there, he would still be embarrassed.
I feel the best thing to do would have been to wait and then later, you draw him aside and casually whisper it to him. That way, he would probably feel better.
@margieanneart (26423)
• United States
24 Feb 07
I would have wrote it down, and passed him the note. Inside, I would say, I'm sorry if you are embarrased, as I am too, to tell you. But, I think you would want to know, your zipper isn't closed."
1 person likes this
@Dolcerina (3376)
• Hungary
17 Feb 07
I am not sure that I would mention him, what I see... iN asimilarsitutation I would mention if I know him "well". I have alredy said to my boss that his fly was open. I felt I must say, because he intended to go to the bank.
@ItTakesAllSorts (4096)
•
17 Feb 07
What was on his plate, meat and two veg!!!
If I knew the man I would have gone to another man and asked him to tell the bloke as I didn't want him getting the wrong idea!
If I didn't like him I would have had a giggle to myself and not said anything but made a few jokes about flying and keeping out the cold.
I have a friend who sometimes has a dirty nose. If she has been to the bathroom and noticed herself she will come and tell us off for not telling her!!
I suppose it does come down to what the person is like.
1 person likes this
@villageanne (8553)
• United States
16 Feb 07
This is a difficult situation. I would not tell him. I would want to but wouldn't. It would be embarrassing for both you and him if you tell and maybe he will find out on his own. It would be so much better if he did discover it on his own.
If it were me with the unzipped jeans, I would want someone to tell me though.So I really cant give a good explanation as to why I would not tell a man. I would tell a woman though
1 person likes this
@dbeast (1495)
• India
17 Feb 07
this would have been really crazy.if i was the guy with my fly open and when someone tells me openly in front of a crowd i would definitely feel embarassed.hmm what do we do in situations like this?i would ignore the person had it been for me.i would try tell him silently later .but for a girl i am not sure how you would handle the situation.:-)
@wickeddollz (34)
• Canada
16 Feb 07
Only somone who cares will tell you your panty hose is stuck in your skirt.
Just have a quite word in his ear, better to haev one employee notice than to stadn in front of a whole room with your fly wide open!
1 person likes this
@superchook (1786)
• Australia
18 Feb 07
I think in that situation, I would have been to embarrassed to say anything and just pretended that I didn't know. If it was someone I knew well, I would probably tell them.
@jbrowsin66 (1321)
• United States
17 Feb 07
I would have told another male member waiting for the meeting to mention it to him.
@revdauphinee (5703)
• United States
17 Feb 07
I think under the circumstances i would have quietly made him aware to save him further embarasment
