I just committed a business card faux-pas and would like to hear your opinion on how to proceed:
Today I ran into a guy I haven't seen in a long time. Some brief background info: I wouldn't consider the guy a friend, but I have a good relationship with him. We went out drinking a couple of times and had a good time. I suspect he is gay, though. But that is not really relevant. The guy now runs an art gallery in New York. I do want to have a good relationship with him, as he knows many people in New York.
Anyway, so I ran into him on the street and we chatted a bit. He then gave me his business card and invited me to come by an art opening at his gallery. For some reason, I took the business card without looking at it and scratched over my chest with it (of course I was wearing a shirt). I don't know why I did this - I have no explanation for it. Really stupid. I was pretty stressed out because I just came out of a meeting, maybe that was the reason. But either way, I know that it was very impolite to handle his business card like this. I'm still at a loss as to why that happened.
Anyway, so this guy gives me this weird look while I do this thing with his business card and I immediately realised that I committed a big faux-pas. I then made a point of looking at the business card and studying it for a couple of seconds just to show that appreciate and value it - but the damage was already done.
What is your opinion, how should I proceed? I'm planning on sending him an email in the next days saying that it was great running into him and that I'm glad to come by his opening. Should I mention something about the business card in the email? Or should I just say something along the lines of that I was pretty stressed out that day because of that meeting and maybe acted a bit weird when I ran into him?
Would be great to hear your opinions.
Today I ran into a guy I haven't seen in a long time. Some brief background info: I wouldn't consider the guy a friend, but I have a good relationship with him. We went out drinking a couple of times and had a good time. I suspect he is gay, though. But that is not really relevant. The guy now runs an art gallery in New York. I do want to have a good relationship with him, as he knows many people in New York.
Anyway, so I ran into him on the street and we chatted a bit. He then gave me his business card and invited me to come by an art opening at his gallery. For some reason, I took the business card without looking at it and scratched over my chest with it (of course I was wearing a shirt). I don't know why I did this - I have no explanation for it. Really stupid. I was pretty stressed out because I just came out of a meeting, maybe that was the reason. But either way, I know that it was very impolite to handle his business card like this. I'm still at a loss as to why that happened.
Anyway, so this guy gives me this weird look while I do this thing with his business card and I immediately realised that I committed a big faux-pas. I then made a point of looking at the business card and studying it for a couple of seconds just to show that appreciate and value it - but the damage was already done.
What is your opinion, how should I proceed? I'm planning on sending him an email in the next days saying that it was great running into him and that I'm glad to come by his opening. Should I mention something about the business card in the email? Or should I just say something along the lines of that I was pretty stressed out that day because of that meeting and maybe acted a bit weird when I ran into him?
Would be great to hear your opinions.