10 Times Good Intentions Became Embarrassing Memories That Still Haunt People

Sometimes, trying to do the right thing turns into one of those “I wish the ground would swallow me whole” moments. These 10 stories show how good intentions can spiral into embarrassing memories that stick around like an unwanted guest at a party.

1.

I was on a plane. Every seat on the plane had its own LCD screen and controller. Closing my eyes was making me dizzy, and any movement in my sight made me uncomfortable. A girl next to me was touching the empty black screen, trying to turn it on.

I was getting frustrated. I watched her 5 minutes doing the same thing. I pressed the power button, looked at her and said, “This is how you turn on the system.”

She was stupefied. 2 hours later, I realized the screen’s brightness was so low that it was seen as black when you look at it from the sides, although it was open and running. She was just navigating through menus to choose a movie to watch when I suddenly closed her screen and made my glorious remark.

rotirahn / Reddit

2.

This happened just a few days ago. I walked into a public restroom and a guy had just finished doing his business. I held the door open for him, not considering that he’d wash his hands. He hesitated and reluctantly walked towards the exit.

I realized my mistake, so I, again, absentmindedly exclaim, “Are you going to wash your hands?” He’s obviously embarrassed and makes his way back towards the sink. Needless to say, I felt bad.

Unknown author / Reddit

3.

Used to live in a rough part of London. Late one night, I was walking home after a night out, and I saw two guys trying to bump start a car — being a helpful guy, I gave them a hand. I pushed for about 10 minutes before I realized they were trying to steal it by rolling it away from the owner’s house before starting it.

Unknown author / Reddit

4.

My friend got asked to take care of an old lady. She only had to heat up a TV dinner and make sure she took her medications. When she got to the house, she tried to pull the door open, but it was locked. So, she decided to enter through the back door. She asked the old lady on the couch what she wanted for lunch.

The old lady approached my friend and said, “Umm, I don’t know. Whatever you want to make.” After a few minutes, my friend couldn’t find the medication or the TV dinners. The old lady asked her, “Why are you here?” My friend said, “Your daughter sent me to take care of you while she works.” The old lady responded, “I work and can definitively feed myself, but Jenny’s mom next door does need your help.”

My friend apologized full of embarrassment and went to the house next door where she found the old lady sitting down on the couch who very happily said, “Hi, Stephany! What are you going to make for lunch? I’m hungry!”

Unknown author / Reddit

5.

My elderly uncle went to America and went for a walk. He paused at an intersection and squinted at the window display across the street. A huge woman took notice of him, grabbed him by the arm, and firmly guided him across the street. She was murmuring “comforting” words or something like that.

He was so embarrassed that he pretended he had intended to cross the street all along and even “thanked” her. He waited for her to disappear before he crossed the street again.

doctorawho / Reddit

6.

I was at a restaurant with some friends and I felt like helping the waitress by grabbing my plate off the big tray she was carrying them in on (in my defense, it looked like her hands were full.)

I guess she had her own way of balancing things, because as soon as I grabbed mine, the entire tray flipped and dropped on the ground. That was pretty embarrassing.

go_dukes / Reddit

7.

You know those dividers you see at grocery stores, that you use while standing in line to separate your stuff from the person in front/behind you?

I’m standing in line and feeling generous that day, and behind me is this really cute girl with literally just a bottle of Sprite in her hands. Without thinking, I just grabbed the divider, put it down, and nodded like, “You can put your stuff down now.”

But she only had a bottle of Sprite, thus the divider was useless, and she just stared at me.

kyzu / Reddit

8.

Leaving a store, trying to be nice, so I hold the door open for somebody that’s about to go in. Gives me a strange look and continues walking down the street.

LethalShade / Reddit

9.

A friend of mine was at a continental breakfast, waiting in line for coffee. He poured himself a cup, and saw a lady behind him was waiting as well, so instead of putting down the pot, he thought he’d be polite and hold it out for her to take.

Unfortunately, coffee pots having only one handle, he ended up just expectantly holding a scalding hot cylinder at this poor lady. They stood like this, awkwardly trying to figure out what to do, before the lady said, “Just put it down.” He did.

Ipecacophony / Reddit

10.

This girl who used to work with me asked me for a ride home after work. I’m like, “Yeah, of course, no problem.” She then tells me, “Hey, you can drop me off right at this corner coming up, I can really walk the rest of the way,” so I’m like, “Are you sure? It’s no problem to drive you all the way home.” She tells me no, so I let her get out.

Maybe a week later, I find out that she was telling everybody how I kicked her out of my car. Yeah, never gave that chick a ride ever again.

teenygoblin27 / Reddit

Pranks are all fun and games until they blow up so dramatically that they turn into legends retold at every family gathering. In this article, we found 10 pranks that weren’t just harmless jokes, they became unforgettable moments etched in memory, leaving everyone either howling with laughter or wincing in secondhand embarrassment for years to come.