Awkward Phone Call: A Scientist's Unexpected Encounter

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In summary, my old high school physics tutor called me on the phone. He was not fluent in English, and needed to be appreciated for his skills. We spoke about some concepts and how life went on. He mentioned his present students and at one point paused to say, "For the students, it can be difficult to understand mechanics and electro-magnetics." I found the conversation awkward, as my Ukrainian adviser would use colloquialisms in odd ways. My father's call was weird, as it was almost word-for-word the same as a dream I once had.
  • #1
Alpharup
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I once called my old high school physics tutor by phone. He was not that fluent in English. He needs to be appreciated by me because without him, mechanics would have been much difficult...
Our conversation began and we spoke about some concepts, how life went on and so on...He was talking about his present students and at one point..

Tutor; Mechanics and electro-magnetics are difficult to understand...

(He paused for a second)...


Me(Without any intentions, innocently); For you, sir?:redface:

Tutor; No no... For the (present) students..


And so our conversation continued..I think he took it lightly..With a flow, I asked him this awkward question, unknowingly.

Have you faced such an awkward moment on phone?
 
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  • #2
Hehehehe.

I find that such intricacies of humor don't always translate well between cultures and languages.

I had an adviser from the Ukraine who would use Colloquialisms in odd ways.
 
  • #3
sharan swarup said:
Tutor; Mechanics and electro-magnetics are difficult to understand...

?

The completion of the sentence would be a phrase such as '.. for me.", or, in this case "... for the students." With the completion being left out, it is for the listener to choose 'the best case scenario' taking into account the topic and previous dialogue.

Having said that, how would you have known he wasn't doing a wandering stray jump to another topic and was referring to his dog who was having a difficult time with mechanics and electro-magnetics.:tongue:
 
  • #4
The most awkward momemt (for the other people involved!) was an unexpected phone call I once had at about 2am. The operator asked me if I would accept a reverse-charge call from a number I have never heard of. I asked who was calling, and after a long pause the operator answered, "It's your father". To which I replied, "I don't think so, he died 20 years ago".

Long silence, then the operator hung up!
 
  • #5
AlephZero said:
The most awkward momemt (for the other people involved!) was an unexpected phone call I once had at about 2am. The operator asked me if I would accept a reverse-charge call from a number I have never heard of. I asked who was calling, and after a long pause the operator answered, "It's your father". To which I replied, "I don't think so, he died 20 years ago".

Long silence, then the operator hung up!
Weird. That's almost word-for-word the same as a dream I once had. Are you sure you weren't having a dream too?
 

1. What is considered an "awkward moment" on the phone?

An awkward moment on the phone is any situation where there is an uncomfortable or embarrassing pause, misunderstanding, or mistake made during a phone conversation.

2. How can I handle an awkward moment on the phone?

The best way to handle an awkward moment on the phone is to stay calm and composed. Take a deep breath and try to think of a solution or a way to move past the awkwardness. You can also try to make a joke or acknowledge the awkwardness to diffuse the tension.

3. What are some common causes of awkward moments on the phone?

Some common causes of awkward moments on the phone include miscommunication, technical issues, forgetting what you were going to say, or accidentally saying something inappropriate.

4. How can I prevent awkward moments on the phone?

To prevent awkward moments on the phone, it is important to be prepared and have a clear idea of what you want to say before making a call. It can also be helpful to practice active listening and pay attention to the other person's tone and cues to avoid miscommunication.

5. Is it possible to recover from an awkward moment on the phone?

Yes, it is possible to recover from an awkward moment on the phone. Apologize if necessary and try to move on from the situation. Remember that everyone has awkward moments and it is important to not dwell on them and to move forward with the conversation.

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