A Civil World. Off-topic discussions on a variety of topics. > Humor Me!
What is the most embarrassing thing to ever happen to you when you were a kid?
Reader:
When I was in an experimental class when I was in 3rd grade (the class was made up of 3rd and 4th grade students) we started learning the times tables. We were given one number per week to memorize all the answer up to 12, then be quizzed. That wasn't the bad part. The bad part was the teacher made a graph with all our names and under our names was a plastic car. The car would track your progress with the quizzes, so if you passed the 5's then your car would sit under the next set of tables 6, and so forth until you passed that quiz for that set. Numbers were never my strong suit, even with buying flashcards to help, (which my mother wouldn't help me with but that's another story in itself) So there I was with my car stuck on the 5's while everybody else moved forward until I was very far behind everybody else. I was mocked by my classmates and even to this day I don't remember how long it took me to complete the tables, and I still have issues with the times table past the 5's, so I use a calculator for almost all math I have to do today. Asking me to try to calculate beyond the simplest math today with out a calculator stresses me out, and it didn't help when I started my current job 10 years ago and my boss would make disparaging comments on my math skills when I would resort to the calculator to figure something out, and then give the answer to me before I could finish up while mocking me. Thankfully 10 years of adding up hours on time sheets has helped my math skills so I don't need the calculator for those anymore, and my boss has stopped commenting on not being able to do math in my head.
jmarvellous:
I was an excellent student, but scared as heck of delivering memorized speeches or even written reports, so the other kids didn't suspect I was all that bright until each year's academic award ceremony.
I recall my sophomore year, we had to learn the "Friends, Romans, countrymen" speech from "Julius Caesar." I knew that thing backward and forward and probably could still recite it now (12 years later) with only a little trouble.
We were also supposed to get extra credit for dressing "like Romans." I wore a bedsheet "toga" and went up to the front of the class.
My lips began to tremble when it was my turn to stand in front of the class. I was flipping out. I got out the famous first line and couldn't remember a single other thing. I got through about 6 lines before I had to sit down. I ended up with a NEGATIVE grade (say, a -15) because the teacher counted off for each word we missed AND didn't notice my bedsheet, which had fallen around my ankles by the time I said "countrymen"!
I did muster the courage to ask her if she'd noticed me walking to the front of the room wearing the sheet, and she must have pitied me a little, 'cause she upgraded my grade to a 10.
I still do not know why English literature classes would put such emphasis on performance. I only did slightly better on other such assignments, though I was usually an A student otherwise.
gingerzing:
When I was about 12 or so and starting to "develop", I had a very awkward conversation with my great-uncle. Keep in mind, I had basically grown up with Unc and adored him. He was not a creeper. But I don't think he really caught what he said.
He was living in a house with his two widowed sisters. (I am thinking that they were all in their mid to late 70's or so at the time)
One day my family went to visit the "aunts" and Unc. When the visit was over, Dad and I went out on the porch with Unc while Mom finished talking to G-Aunt D about something. Unc said to me something about "blossoming out to be a fine young lady." In retrospect it was sweet and oldfashion. But at 12 the world is horrifyingly embarassing, and this said in front of my dad, for pity's sake!!
Mom came out about that time and Dad and I beat feet for the car. ("Luv you Unc, gotto go.") And yes, Dad thought it extremely funny to tell Mom. SIGH. Mom just chuckled and then told me Unc was probably just proud of the young adult I was growing up to be. (And he was.)
Outdoor Girl:
The day I accidentally almost shoplifted would have to be up there on the list. I had gone to the trailer with a friend of mine and her family. My parents had given me some money to treat my friend and her sister to ice cream or something a couple of times while I was there. We went to the corner store in the trailer park and picked out some very large Mr. Freezies. And I walked right out the door without paying for them, with the cashier watching me leave. I realized it before I got off the porch and turned right back inside to go pay for them. My face was sure red as I apologized.
Or how about the day I dropped my container of french fries off my tray with an entire crew of older kids watching me? They did laugh and tease me but they convinced the guy behind the counter to give me another container of fries for free, so although I left embarrassed, I didn't leave hungry.
whiterose:
When I was in the 4th grade, Valentine's Day fell on a Friday that year. On Fridays, I would be wearing my Junior Girl Scout uniform instead of our regular (and ugly) school uniform. However, that Friday we were allowed to wear red casual outfits.
But my mother still made me wear the Girl Scout uniform. I was afraid that I would be the only one wearing a GS uniform...and thus would be made be the "villain" if we had a pageant.
Well, I was the only one. No pageant or villains...BUT the class did a mock election to pick a "mayor" (we had been studying city government). They picked a male and a female- two very popular kids. I was pretty upset at this and was afraid that it was due to the uniform. I said "if Michelle is mayor, then I am the queen!", since I was so, well, PO'ed (back then I did not like it when I was NOT number one- and I still do not).
Everyone laughed. Teacher scolded me. I was very embarrassed.
Years later, when it was time to apply to college, I used this incident as the basis of an essay. Teacher who proofreaded it found it hilarious! Girl who had been elected mayor did not even remember it- but she was still very popular.
In retrospect, I do find it funny.
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