While I attended an event sponsored by my employer, one of the executives pointed to his wife, who had gained a few pounds. “Why don’t you congratulate Alison on her pregnancy?” I did so, and her face immediately fell. “I’m not pregnant,” she said. I apologized, fumbling for the right words. The executive watched the entire exchange with an ever-present smirk on his face.

More than a year passed. The couple divorced, and the executive left our organization. (Involuntarily.) I ran into Allison at a party, looking stunning. Pulling up my big-boy pants, I said, “You look great.” She smiled and thanked me. “I know Bruce set you up that night. I felt bad for you. But it encouraged me to get rid of that dead weight.”

EDIT: I’m disabling comments on this post, not because any of them have been inappropriate, but because I prefer to end this thread. The story is true, and the reaction has been so overwhelming that I risk reopening this lovely person’s wound if it gets back to her. As others have suggested, I learned a lesson that day not to comment on any woman’s pregnancy unless she brings the subject up. Thank you, all.