As a kid, did this ever have this happen to you: you see a teacher out of the context of school and it flummoxes you? Maybe he or she was grocery shopping or at the mall and the sighting made you realize the person is indeed a regular human being?

There always seems to be a difference in how we perceive some individual’s employment and public role and his or her life as a simply a person.

Politicians appear to be a particular victim of this situation. On one hand they are supposed to fit into the image their office hold: serious leadership. On the other hand, they are prone to many of the same conditions of humanity as the rest of us.

There are some folks in public service who seemingly have little problem with this divide, partly due to their postings on social media. Employing what political strategists used to call “the common touch” is actually made easier by Facebook and Instagram.

Generally, though, the rule of thumb is the higher up you go in public office, the more difficult coming across as “just folks” seems to be.

Our political history is littered with incidences of politicians doing something that doesn’t seem right. For instance there’s the famous photograph of President Calvin College wearing a Native American headdress. Or how about Vice President Joe Biden hugging all sorts of people, whether or not they expected it? Michael Dukakis riding in a tank? Politicians holding babies have been a source for awkward moments for years.

Of course, social media can create these moments and distribute them in a way that a simple news photo in the past could not do.

When Elizabeth Warren ran for the Senate the first time, I had an opportunity to speak with her at a campaign stop at the Westover Job Corps. She was smart, funny, warm and charismatic. Once the Native American heritage issue arose, her staff kept members of the press at arm’s length. I understand the logic, but at the same time I think the then-candidate lost opportunities to speak about her message.

Routinely I’ve covered her subsequent “town hall” meetings. I like a lot of what she says as a Massachusetts resident, but access to her is limited to me as a member of the press.

Have I coveted the chance for a one-on-one sit-down? A 15-minute telephone conversation? Sure, still do, although my hopes are diminished as she is now campaigning across the country.

So, I hope my following comments don’t put me on her naughty list, but for goodness sake, her recent Instagram live stream will go down as one of those unfortunate political bloopers.

Just like seeing our teacher at the grocery store, Warren invited us into her kitchen for some casual conversation. She introduced us to her dog and then her husband, accompanied by an affectionate pat, and then she uttered the phrase, “I’m going to get me a beer.”

Especially in light of the kind of beer – identified by others as Michelob Ultra – this all seemed staged and became cringe-worthy.

Here is how it could have been avoided – and yes, this advice is free to the Warren campaign: Instead of hoisting a near-beer in your kitchen, the senator should have gone to one of the many independent craft breweries here in the Commonwealth, talked about the industry’s positive economic development impact and drank a locally-produced brew.

She could have still come across as being one of us by drinking a beer but she could also have made a statement about encouraging small business development.

In my humble opinion, that approach would accomplish the two things the appearance should have done: stressed her working class roots and spoke about how she would help small business if she were elected president.

Now, however she has provided plenty of fodder for comics.

Senator, there is no need to tip me, but I would really enjoy getting 15 minutes with you for an interview. Here is my email: news@thereminder.com.

Thanks and you’re welcome.