the curse of making assumptions

I hate assumptions that are just about poor communication. Assumptions can cause mis-communication, mis-understandings and seriously piss people off. Try and get the facts straight, I say.

a story

Once I tried to clearly articulate my position in a tension-filled relationship. I said exactly what I wanted to say, and had thought beforehand how to articulate it carefully, without blame or inflammatory suggestion. It was honest and respectful. So I was more than slightly miffed when the other person 'read between the lines' and concluded I had meant something other than what I actually said.

Sometimes people make it hard to communicate with them, particularly when their preferences of giving a message is to use non-verbal communication - e.g. silent treatment, innuendo, suggestion, under-currents. This leaves any situation wide open for assumptions and sets people offside.

Have you ever had someone make an assumption about you? How did that feel, and did it have a happy ending?