Post #10 in the Blog Every Day in May Challenge, 250 words or less. Prompt for May 10: Most embarrassing moment.
When Steve and I were first becoming serious about getting married but not yet engaged, his parents’ friends, Ira and Corabelle Price, had business in Nashville where we were in school. They offered to take us to dinner at Cross Keys, a lovely and elegant restaurant in Green Hills near our college, now Lipscomb University. Ira was both a successful businessman and a effective minister. They wanted to get to know Steve’s new girlfriend.
Our dinner was served. We had our prayer and began to eat. Just as I took a drink of iced tea, Steve made a funny remark and my tea went down my windpipe. I sputtered, coughed, gagged—and finally threw up right into my plate! Mortification personified.
But the restaurant workers showed that they deserved their fine reputation. The attentive waiter whisked away my gross plate and very quickly replaced it with a new order. I can only wonder about the dining experience of the nearby guests.
The Prices were properly concerned and reassuring, tactfully changing the subject once they knew I was all right.
I guess they were willing to forgive, if not forget, the incident. We remained friends, as Ira mentored Steve in being a vocational minister. Even though he has been dead several years, Corabelle writes us occasionally and clearly values our friendship. Yes, they did get to know Steve’s girlfriend very well. I’ve wondered if they ever told his parents—but not enough to ask about it, just in case they didn’t know.
Janice Heck
I have coughing fits when I have either vinegar on salads or too much black pepper. Then I can’t talk for a few minutes. I hate when that happens because everyone just stares. Embarrassing. At least I didn’t throw up.
Lanita Boyd
Occasionally I still cough, but overall I’ve learned to pay more attention to what’s going on before I drink. It was nearly always when something made me take a quick breath as I was drinking. I agree–everyone stares and it’s embarrassing. I guess they are trying to determine if I need help…