Everyone has a moment they wish they could erase—but the internet never forgets, and honestly, we’re better for it. These awkward, toe-curling, secondhand-embarrassment-inducing stories are the kind you relive in the shower five years later. Luckily, these people shared their pain so we could all laugh. Here are 15 real-life moments that prove social fumbles are part of the human experience.

Love Letter, Regret Letter

Credit: Canva/buzzfeed

A girl found out she was switching schools, so she poured her heart into a dramatic love letter to her crush in class. Plot twist—her family changed their minds the next day. She had to return to school and face him. The horror.

Can I Please Have My Cart Back?

Credit: Canva/buzzfeed

While shopping, someone noticed a man following them aisle after aisle. Worried she was being stalked, she picked up her pace. So did he. Eventually, he caught up and said, “Hey, can I get my cart back?” She’d been sprinting with a stranger’s grocery cart all this time.

Identity Crisis at the Train Station

Credit: iStockphoto/buzzfeed

For two years, a commuter built what she thought was an inconsistent friendship with the ticket guy. Some days, he chatted. Other days, he seemed to forget she existed. Turns out that they were identical twins working different shifts. She had been bonding with two different men. Neither knew.

You’re a Problem, Actually

Credit: Canva/buzzfeed

Someone held the door open for a stranger, who kindly said, “Thank you.” The intended response was either “You’re welcome” or “No problem.” Instead, their brain glitched and out came: “You’re a problem.”

Who’s the Nerd Now?

Credit: Getty Images/buzzfeed

Thinking her dad was watching a YouTube video, she casually walked up behind him and blurted out, “Who’s that nerd?” Unfortunately, it was a Zoom meeting, and the “nerd” was a real person who happened to be a company investor. That’s family and professional relationships compromised in one sentence.

Fighting a Mirror

Credit: pexels/buzzfeed

After eye surgery, a man’s vision was still blurry, but he bravely went to a restaurant. On his way to the bathroom, he awkwardly tried to let “someone” pass by, doing the “you go, no you go” routine for minutes. It was a mirror. He was arguing with his own reflection.

DM Disaster

Credit: pexels/buzzfeed

After seeing engagement photos on a guy’s profile, a woman got a DM from him and immediately warned the bride-to-be. Bold move—except he wasn’t the fiancé. He was their photographer. Now the only ring involved is the one of social anxiety that this story leaves behind.

Taste-Testing the Customers

Credit: Canva/buzzfeed

A server attempted to say, “How’s everybody doing?” and “Does everything taste okay?” but the wires crossed mid-sentence, and it came out as, “How does everybody taste?” Unsurprisingly, nobody wanted to answer. Cannibalistic energy was not on the menu.

Olive Stones: Not for Snacking

Credit: Getty Images

At a business meeting, one guy confidently reached for the bowl of “nuts” on the table. He popped a few into his mouth and quickly realized something was wrong—they weren’t nuts. They were discarded olive pits. Now they were just stuck between his teeth and his dignity.

“No, Thank You” to Basic Human Kindness

Credit: Canva/buzzfeed

A barista handed over a drink and said, “Have a nice day!” That’s when the customer, prepped for “Would you like a straw?” panicked and responded, “No, thank you,” then drove off immediately like that was normal behavior.

Chicken Is the Answer to Everything

Credit: Getty Images/buzzfeed

Eight months pregnant, a woman ran into an acquaintance who asked, “What are you having?” Expecting “boy” or “girl,” they instead got “chicken.” She was referring to her meal, but the baby-shaped bump said otherwise.

Your Majesty, the Judge Will See You Now

Credit: Canva/buzzfeed

In a courtroom, one person blanked on how to address the judge and blurted out, “Your Majesty.” The judge, understandably thrown, asked, “What?” And like a true overachiever in panic mode, they repeated it. Royal embarrassment in the court of law.

The Unwanted Chicken Heist

Credit: pixabay/buzzfeed

Outside a chicken joint, someone reached into what they assumed was a box of free samples. Spoiler alert: it wasn’t. It was just some guy holding his takeout. They tried casually grabbing another human being’s lunch—no sign, no remorse, just confusion on both sides.

Step Off the Scale, Ma’am

Credit: Getty Images/buzzfeed

At the vet’s office, a technician asked the pet owner to bring her dog to the scale. Instead of doing that, the woman stepped on herself. She stood there awkwardly while the vet tech clarified, “For your dog, ma’am.”

Andy Ford