Sorry

On the surface, it is a simple word. Sorry. Regretful, remorseful, apologetic. But society has tampered with its denotation so much that it is almost incomprehensible without context. It can represent a feeling of remorse for the tiniest, most insignificant action, like the accidental bump of a stranger when standing in line. It can indicate a breakdown in communication, like when you did not catch the name of a new acquaintance. It can imply a regret for something that was not even the fault of the speaker, like when a friend apologizes for the fight you had with your boyfriend. And it can represent a plea for absolution for a life-changing, irreversible decision, like when you asked for forgiveness for fucking the guy you just met at the coffee shop.