Big blunder

I’ve to share this.
It started innocently. Two kids looking up at me (ahem!) in full admiration simply because I said I’m a teacher (cannot think of a simpler/better explanation of what I am) and I found out that they want to be one too when they grow up. The younger one asked lots of question like: Kerja apa? (Mula2 kerja kilang, pastu cikgu, pastu kerja kilang, pastu cikgu, pastu belajar lagik untuk terus jadi cikgu!) Cikgu apa? (Math, Eng & Econ) Kenapa tak ajar sekolah rendah? (Tak best sebab budak2 kecik belum pandai – pemalas punya cikgu! Heheh!) Ekon tu apa? (Oh, ekon tu…blah-blah..) Being in the mood to lecture them, so I said, “Mesti belajar rajin2. Kalau malas, nanti2 kerja kilang je…”
At the same moment, the mother came out from the kitchen and joined us in the living room. She turned to her and said, “Oh, jadi mama malas lah ye!!”
I was like, what did I say?? “EH!!!TAK-TAK…TARIK BALIK….BUKAN MACAM TU…” Syeeeesssh…my not-so-brilliant mind recalled the conversation that we had yesterday where I’d asked the mother about her place of work & it’s kilang Sony!
Arghhh! I was so embarrassed (was hoping the earth will open up & swallow me right there)– the whole family was listening!! And they were treating me really nice over lunch & everything even if we’ve got to know each other only recently.
So, I said sorry & sorry & sorry again.. It wasn’t my intention to belittle anyone – I used to work in factories too as operator or ‘minah kilang’. What I was trying to do is to motivate them to study hard coz I’d taught in rural area before and the students were saying, “Kerja kilang lagi best – bas siap tunggu depan rumah! Bas sekolah pun kami kena pergi tunggu kat simpang..”. Well, I forgot that these kids are city slickers… BTW, I think those two kids are really something – not shy at all (in a good way)!
(Disclaimer: I’m not a teacher literally..but I love teaching)