Terminology matters!

One day while in the ER in Sechelt I was stitching up a guy's arm. He wasn't the most buff looking guy, but he did look like he did a lot of work outside. Anyways, as I was struggling with adjusting things in their places and holding my hands steady, he asked me if I needed him to help by holding something. I mumbled, "No, you can't, you're not sterile." As soon as it came out of my mouth, I realised the guy could turn that into a big embarrassing joke and I held my breath. Realising he wasn't going to jump on it, I sighed a big breath of relief. 10 minutes later, when the doctor walked by the room, he yelled out, "Hey, the student said I wasn't sterile!!"

Aaah! How come I never get away with it when things come out my mouth the wrong way? Hey! At least I wasn't the one who put a gash in my arm trying to prune my trees with an exacto-knife!