Hmm. Well, I think I’d probably be imagining how I would feel if I were the one in the embarrassing situation.
And after imagining myself in those shoes, I’d want to make my friend feel better somehow.
I don’t know exactly what I would do, though, because it seems like this would vary a lot depending on the situation.
I imagine I might
- try to stop the embarrassing situation somehow/do some kind of rescue
- share an embarrassing moment of my own to make her feel less alone
- offer reassurance
- say something funny
- suggest some distracting activity to help my friend not dwell on it
But all of this is largely theoretical, because I’m not sure I’ve ever had one of my friends end up in an embarrassing situation!
I must have very poised friends or something. 😉
A quick joke then changing then subject always helps. Nothing worse than being embarrassed in public. Ugh!
If it’s a situation they’re not aware of (like food stuck in their teeth, or shirt buttons inadvertently opened, or underwear showing), I tell them immediately and discreetly. When I was younger I was too embarrassed to say anything (thinking it would make them feel awkward)…until it happened to me and I was mortified that no one told me I had spinach in my teeth! Lesson learned.