Thursday, April 26, 2007

I Don't Think She Heard Me

Have you ever had an embarrassing moment in public? Have you tried to cover it up as best as you could but no matter what you still look like an idiot? For example, tripping forward in public and while you are on the ground do push ups to cover your trip. Even though doing the push ups probably makes you more of an idiot then tripping. Regardless what happens and what you do to try to cover it up, we all fail miserably.

I recall of a time like this at a regatta. It was lunch time and all crews take an hour to refuel and rest. I’m standing in a small group of people talking as my coach volunteers me to retrieve oars for one of our boat going out. I was walking with one of the girls from my crew, a long haired blond and a close friend of mine. Even though the docks are not very far away it takes some time to get though the boats walking by in line. We had a conversation about our all time rivals, the Cincinnati Junior Rowing Club or just CJRC. This crew was the best and always had a step above us. We all had theories joking on why they are so good, some ranging from a motor on their boats to even having their team genetically cloned as hard core athletes. Getting back to the story, a boat was crossing in front of us and I continued and ducked under the boat. Completely oblivious of the fact that my friend stopped for the boat, I continued my conversation with a long haired blond that happened to slide on in where my friend was. I continued to walk with my new friend talking about CJRC. Getting to the end of my conversation I said: “yea I guarantee CJRC has a cloning lab under their boat house where they clone their rowers.” Waiting for a “yea” or “I know”, instead I heard with a very faint, quivered, almost scared voice “oh, ohh… ok.” I look to my left to see a CJRC rower with long blond hair take a very sharp 90 degree turn away from me waiting for me to pass. She starts to scurry away as I yell “sorry wrong person,” there was no way she heard me though. I had a dumbfounded feeling and stopped where I was looking around making sure no one else witnessed my embarrassing moment, but one was enough. My real friend runs up to me and says “sorry I got caught up at that last boat.” I didn’t tell her what happened but I replied “let’s get moving.”

Even though I will probably never see that girl again, I can’t seem to stop wondering what see was thinking, along with that what see told her other teammates. It’s a little uncomfortable to think that some where out there I am labeled as "The Creepy Rower From Westerville Crew."

4 comments:

Elizabeth Gehres said...

Wow. I don't know what I would have done if I was in your shoes in that situation. But I also have tried to cover up embarrassing moments many times in the past. I remember this one time in the 6th grade we were all out on the playground after lunch and I was swinging back and forth on the monkey-bars not paying much attention to others around me, when I heard one of my friends yell at me to watch out. Well before I knew it I kicked the guy that I had a crush on at the time right in the stomach, he was behind me and I didn't even know it. I was so embarrassed that I ran to the other side of the play- ground and hid until it was time to go back inside! So I know exactly how you feel in those situations. I know mine was along time ago but I still feel like stupid about the whole thing!

Cap'n Fatback said...

Boy, I don't know where I would begin when telling my embarassing moments. So many to share. A nice story that illuminates how we feel free to say things to certian audiences (e.g., close friends) that we wouldn't share with others.

5/5

Johnny Haiku said...

and now a poem:

"Westerville Haiku Cult" (Haiku)

i tripped in public
phlem covered from his laughter
i licked my right arm

Arielle said...
This comment has been removed by the author.