It has happened. It was always going to happen, but its inevitability did nothing to prepare me for this sad, sad day. I have embarrassed Lili for the first time.
I did "lunch duty" today at Lili's school, which entails watching the kiddies eat and then supervising recess. Later on, Daddy was playing basketball as the girls and I sat at the dinner table when Lili decides to shatter the peace by asking quietly, "Why did you have to ask the fifth and sixth grade table how their day was going?" I asked, nonplussed, "Why did that embarrass you?" To which she nodded, her eyes on her plate. "Did it embarrass you when I asked YOUR table how your day was going?" "No," she replied, "But they are just...older."
Now let me just say that, as a kid/teenager, I got embarrassed very easily and very often. Let me just paint a picture for you. I think it was probably my 13th or 14th birthday, and my family had all gone out to eat at Chili's to celebrate. Our waiter had been a somewhat attractive young man, and so my Dad had tried to make me enjoy my birthday as much as possible by telling me regular intervals throughout the meal that he was going to give our waiter 20 dollars to personally sing me happy birthday, which as you can imagine horrified me beyond belief. We got through the meal, and I raced to the car, happy to have escaped. My Dad and older brother followed a few minutes later and told me as they were getting into the car..."We gave him the twenty, he's coming out to the car to sing to you." Of course they had done nothing of the sort, but as fate would have it, our waiter walked out of the door and towards the parking lot just as I turned around in my seat to glance back at the restaurant. I immediately panicked, burst into tears and I'm pretty sure I tried to wedge myself under the bench seat in the back of our minivan...it was the only hiding place I could think of. My Dad and brothers guffawed, Happy Birthday to me.
So anyway, I can empathize with getting embarrassed over little things, but I really thought I had a few more years before this started happening. Anyway, back at the dinner table I told Lili, "I'm sorry. I was just trying to be friendly...the other moms don't do that?" "No." came the curt reply. I said, "I won't do it anymore if that embarrasses you." At this point Audrey got involved, "No Mom, you HAVE to be friendly." She turned towards Lili and, in typical Audrey style, advised Lili bluntly. "Next time you get embarrassed, Lili, just eat your lunch!"
So anyway, that was my funny story of the day. I embarrassed Lili for the first time today. Sadly, it won't be the last.
3 comments:
Ooo...so sad for you both. I remember being embarrassed by my mom being 30+ minutes late every day to pick us up...so we usually had to call and remind her eventually. At least yours wasn't embarrassment by omission...
That is great post all around. I can see Lili's point, classic for younger kids the older kids to like them. She has such a sweet demeanor and good heart.
As for your flashback.....that just makes me LOL! Perfect.
Now I know why Audrey and I get along so well...direct, blunt and to the point. Gotta love it! She will be a great leader one day. Thanks for the good read.
i love it. i used to get crazy embarrassed when i was little and, yes, i think it started right around 2nd grade... oh, sadness. i am not looking forward to those days...
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