All you need is...

[plumtreeblossom]

Have you ever accidentally said "Love you!" at the end of a business call? I've absent-mindedly done it a handful of times in my life and it's mortifying, even though it really should just be something humorous to laugh about.

It just now happened to a vendor who I was ordering supplies from on the phone. The conversation ended with me saying "Okay, thanks much!" and her saying "Okay, love you!" Then a brief awkward silence before she hung right up. I could just feel the ohmygod waves through the phone.

But, I guess it's nice to know that when that happens, it means the person has someone(s) in their life who they say "I love you" to often enough that it's become second nature.

Comments

[entrochan.livejournal.com]

That's awesome!

[beowabbit]

I don’t think I’ve ever done that on the phone, but I think that’s just because I try to avoid using the phone as much as possible, except with people I actually do love. :-) But I wouldn't be surprised if the occasional “Love and hugs,” has slipped through at the bottom of work-related email; it’s something I’m constantly catching myself almost doing.

Saying “I love you” to you is still special for me, though. :-)

*Smooches!*

[dpolicar]

nope. It's not something I tend to say without thinking.

Absolutely!

[http://users.livejournal.com/_mattt/]

Yes, I have done this in the past. It usually occured when talking to a third party either about a loved one, or thinking about a loved one when on the phone with the third part. It is excrutiatingly embarassing. Once, I got called on it, oh, years ago. Quick thinking, I said: "No, I said above you. I was talking to someone else. Gotta go bye!" And then I promptly hung up the phone. Not that I ahve done this maybe more than 3 times in my life, but I learned the bludgeoning myself with the receiver afterwards led to fewer incidents. YMMV.

[treacle-well.livejournal.com]

I don't believe I ever have.

On the other hand, I am one of those people who's not tended to say that even intentionally. Even when I did have someone to love.

[chienne-folle.livejournal.com]

But, I guess it's nice to know that when that happens, it means the person has someone(s) in their life who they say "I love you" to often enough that it's become second nature.

That's a great way of thinking about it!

I said "I love you" once to a friend who was whining endlessly on the phone. I mean, I like to talk on the phone, and I like to listen sympathetically to people, so for this guy to go on long enough for me to space out, he had to be pretty over the top. :-) So I was making sympathetic noises on automatic pilot, and somehow "I love you" slipped out. "Er, I mean, I'd love for you to feel a lot better soon!"

[majes.livejournal.com]

I haven't had this happen - but I do frequently have it happen that someone will come in, having a long meeting with me, and when it is time for them to go some parts of my brain pushes forward "and now we hug them goodbye." Fortunately, I have never actually acted on this odd impulse. I think it comes from the fact that in my real life, when I depart from friends or even associates, I am a free hugger.

I've come close

[marius23.livejournal.com]

I've never actually said it, but have caught myself almost saying it inappropriately a couple of times.

[wellstar.livejournal.com]

I've never done it, but it's one of my paranoias when I use my cell phone for work, and even when talking to friends on said cell phone. Having the horrible beige office phone to my ear, however, keeps me out of the personal realm. I won't even say "I love you" to loved ones when they call me on that phone. At least not without them saying it first.

[chanaleh.livejournal.com]

HIGH-LARIOUS. :-D I would find it charmingly human if someone did that to me. But I'm unlikely to do it on autopilot myself, fortunately (I guess).

[thesynergizer.livejournal.com]

that's hilarious, embarrassing and sweet all at the same time! i have never done that (to my knowledge) but do remember calling my daycare teacher "grandma" when i was about 4. its one of the only times in my life that i've ever mixed up anyone's name. my dad accidentally called me "dear" and a number of other pet names that he used with my stepmom when they were engaged ... it annoyed me, but i never said anything. it was obvious that he wasn't doing it on purpose. it bugs him enough that no one in his family can ever get his name right on the first try. there are only two boys, but they both get called david michael or michael david or whoever you are!

[moria923.livejournal.com]

Sometimes I slip up and call someone "sweetie" or "wab" (another nickname thorbol and I use for each other) when I'm having certain kinds of (extremely nonromantic) conversations.

He's the person with whom I can be most straightforward and opinionated. So this happens sometimes when I'm really getting intensely into a discussion. It happened once when I was discussing work with a coworker who was also a good friend. It only happens when I'm really comfortable with someone.