When I worked at Central Hardware in my late teens, a customer had just missed a sale on some expensive item he was needing to purchase. But my immediate supervisor could still give him the sale price. I told the customer to ask Ken (my supervisor)—and said (as a serious description) “he’s that big fat ballheaded man up front.”

The customer was able to pick Ken out right away, and got what he needed. But I realized that was a horrible way to describe someone!

In another instance, much more recently, my brother-in-law, whose technical help was needed at a large community college where he works, was described to another as, “he’s the really big, fat guy with the beard and coffee stains on his shirt.”

These things sound like terrible insults, but may indeed be the best description to someone who doesn’t know the person.

Have you ever heard anyone inadvertently described in unflattering terms? And / or how might someone describe YOU in truthful, descriptive, but unflattering terms?

Topics: humor, description, appearance, traits, truthfulness