A few years ago I worked a PR event with a celebrity guest of honor, Charles Spencer, 9th Earl Spencer. I don’t really follow that royal stuff but it was very exciting to meet an actual Prince. Or maybe he was a Lord. I don’t know – he had a fancy name and was Princess Diana’s brother (I really rocked this PR job…nothing like knowing the details! Eeek!) In the green room we had tea – I am guessing because he was English and they seem to like their tea time. (Shit – I am really making a lot of assumptions here!) So I am going to say that this was not one of my better career moments. And for more than just these brainless things……
While the Prince/Lord was relaxing before his appearance and enjoying his hot, lemony brew, I worked hard to make sure the pastry plates, tea pots, tea bag box and sugar bowls were always full for the guests going in and out prior to the actual event start. I also kept the room clean – throwing away unsightly used teabags or half eaten treats.
As Charles was talking to someone, I started to clean up a bit and collected teacups that were sitting around the room, seemingly finished. Just as I walked towards the back of the room, I heard him say “someone has gone and thrown away my tea”. With his lovely English accent, it was hard for me to tell if he was pissed (doesn't everything sound better when someone says it with a nice accent?)
I kept my back towards him while I hovered over a garbage can. If he saw my face he would know I had tossed his drink since I was beat red and my mouth was open so wide, I could have caught flies. Or maybe I just filled up with air because I can’t even believe what I did next – I actually spun around holding a blue and white porcelain cup with a drop of liquid in it and a gnarly, used teabag plopped on the saucer and said to this Royal guy “I think this was it….?" and sort of handed it to him.
He looked at me like I was crazy for offering him a cold cup of tea that could have belonged to anyone. Not to mention that I practically just pulled it out of the garbage can.
I felt like I was having an outer body experience – looking down on myself saying “Stop standing there with this gross offering. Just turn and walk away.”
Before he could respond to me, a colleague said she’d get him a fresh cup. She too looked at me like I was an idiot. Yes, well cheerio, I was definitely going to hide in a pile rubbish….and do a little thinking about my next career move.
While the Prince/Lord was relaxing before his appearance and enjoying his hot, lemony brew, I worked hard to make sure the pastry plates, tea pots, tea bag box and sugar bowls were always full for the guests going in and out prior to the actual event start. I also kept the room clean – throwing away unsightly used teabags or half eaten treats.
As Charles was talking to someone, I started to clean up a bit and collected teacups that were sitting around the room, seemingly finished. Just as I walked towards the back of the room, I heard him say “someone has gone and thrown away my tea”. With his lovely English accent, it was hard for me to tell if he was pissed (doesn't everything sound better when someone says it with a nice accent?)
I kept my back towards him while I hovered over a garbage can. If he saw my face he would know I had tossed his drink since I was beat red and my mouth was open so wide, I could have caught flies. Or maybe I just filled up with air because I can’t even believe what I did next – I actually spun around holding a blue and white porcelain cup with a drop of liquid in it and a gnarly, used teabag plopped on the saucer and said to this Royal guy “I think this was it….?" and sort of handed it to him.
He looked at me like I was crazy for offering him a cold cup of tea that could have belonged to anyone. Not to mention that I practically just pulled it out of the garbage can.
I felt like I was having an outer body experience – looking down on myself saying “Stop standing there with this gross offering. Just turn and walk away.”
Before he could respond to me, a colleague said she’d get him a fresh cup. She too looked at me like I was an idiot. Yes, well cheerio, I was definitely going to hide in a pile rubbish….and do a little thinking about my next career move.
