women with sharp claws and sharper tongues

Last summer, a young woman I work with took a few days of her precious vacation time to be in a childhood friend’s wedding. It turns out the other bridesmaids were sorority sisters of the bride, and Lindsey didn’t hit it off with them.

Since they were the only guests at the wedding she even halfway knew, she spent most of her time alone at a table, talking occasionally to relatives kind enough to stop by and ask how she was doing.

The maid-of-honor had something to say about this. In a pseudo-friendly manner, she reached out to Lindsey and said, “you know, you’re kind of a sweet, socially awkward nerd.” The other bridesmaids laughed a little, and reassured her, “we mean that in a nice way!”

MRRRREOW.

That comment is #1 on today’s list.

After she related this story to us the following week, I told my young co-worker, “better to be a socially awkward nerd than a catty bitch.”  I wasn’t even certain about their assessment of her. But no matter.

Lindsey is hesitant to call anyone her longtime friend would have in her wedding a catty bitch. So to help her identify these types in the future, I gave her – and now you – six examples of CB conversation (as I mentioned earlier, #1 the bridesmaids provided for us). We’ve all heard these things said in one form or the other:

#2 “If I didn’t know better, I’d swear that’s the dress I gave Goodwill last year.”

Sandwiched by insincere compliments.

#3 “It’s a shame the bride didn’t stick with matching just the color of the bridesmaid dresses.”

Said near the presumably (excuse the pun) misfit bridesmaid.

#4 “Oh, don’t worry, I’m sure in the right lighting that lipstick works.”

Unsolicited, to the woman standing next to her at the mirror in the ladies room.

#5 “My husband has a shirt made of the same fabric as your dress, but I refuse to let him be seen wearing it in public.”

Zing! Zing! Multiple targets there.

#6 “Is shrimp supposed to taste like this?” (Granted, in the right situation that may be an appropriate question.)

Most often said when eating chicken.

Stick with being a socially awkward nerd, Lindsey, if in fact that’s what you are. You’ll grow out of it, but these woman will never change.