Social Mishaps
Did you ever do something embarrassing? Yes, I see that hand.
High school— the most vulnerable era of a person’s growing-up years, presented Ellory a humiliating experience. He probably described to his grandchildren years later.
It was a county-wide choral festival. Choirs from each of the county high schools came together for an evening performance in a large gymnasium. Earlier in the afternoon, the announcer called each choir to the risers for practice.
My friends and I were watching from the bleachers, being good boy scouts (aka scouting for boys) a natural pastime for high school girls.
Suddenly Susan gasped. “There he is!”
“Who?” I swiveled to see the platform.
“Ellory _____!”
I didn’t realize he was the county heartthrob - an athletic-looking Greek with a dazzling smile.
Then it happened. Ellory was busy appearing nonchalant as he stepped onto the second row of risers. However, he stumbled at that moment. One misstep and he fell forward on the floor.
Falling clumsily in front of peers is one of the worst things a teenager can experience. Especially when he’s the unofficial Don Juan of eight high schools.
Our gaggle of girls watched open-mouthed. Then the miraculous happened. As if planned, Ellory executed a perfect pushup on the floor, then stepped onto the risers.
The whole gym burst into spontaneous applause.
If I had a poster board, I would have played Olympic judge, scribbled a 10 on it, and held it up to the crowd.
What of Mr. movie-star-handsome Greek? He salvaged a potentially humiliating moment. And I wouldn’t be surprised if he still tells the story to his grandchildren.
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Fast forward to years later when my husband and I humiliated ourselves at a wedding reception.
Yancy, our son’s Spanish-speaking friend from church, invited us to his wedding. When we arrived at the reception, all the seats were taken except a few at the bride and groom’s table. Since my husband was Yancy’s pastor, we assumed they were for us and sat down.
That’s when I noticed an older lady glaring at us across the room.
Wow! She’s really grumpy! Maybe I can cheer her up!
I smiled warmly in her direction and helped myself to candy and nuts at our table.
No go. She’s still glaring at us.
That’s when the groom’s mother kindly approached us. “Would you like to move down below? These seats are for our relatives.”
Trying to retain our last shred of dignity, we crept to some now-empty seats below.
And we were reminded of Jesus’ words about humility in Luke 14:8-11 (in the vernacular), “When someone invites you to a wedding feast, do not take the place of honor, for a person more distinguished than you may have been invited.”
A painful lesson in involuntary humility.
I hope we left some candy and nuts in the dish.
How about you? Any embarrassing situations in your past? Feel free to use the comments box below and tell us about it.
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