Monday, August 24, 2009

Was My Face Red!

I was in a comedic writing workshop recently, and as an exercise, we were encouraged to make a list of childhood moments that we found truly embarrassing. Not to share with the group, just for our own creativity, to see what could potentially give rise to humor.

It reminded me of a column that used to run in the now-defunct YM magazine called WAS MY FACE RED, where girls would write in with 50 to 100 word stories of utter embarrassment. I loved that column when I was about 12 and 13, turned to it first every month, and dreamed of writing an entry and having it published--but never had anything succinctly embarrassing to submit. (Or so I thought!)

So, to make my dream come true of "publishing" an entry under that column heading, here goes:

It was summer. My younger brother had some buddies in the backyard, playing baseball. I was upstairs in the bathroom, experimenting with make-up, as I so often did. Then I sat on the closed toilet seat to gaze out in the backyard, and idly watch the game. Only to have one of the players look up and point me out, and everyone, of course, thought I was USING the toilet, not sitting on it.

OMG, my life as I knew it was over! They'd all go home and tell their older brothers and sisters that I'd been...OMG...I'd never be taken seriously again. Never get a boyfriend. All my friends would dump me. OMG...OMG!!!


Okay, in truth, the story ends there. No ramifications, and I seriously doubt anyone but my brother and me remember it. And come to think of it, the story might have been a bit MUCH for YM. Probably would have earned me my first rejection!

Anyway, feel free to laugh at me for that story, and/or post an embarrassing childhood story of your own. (Let's continue to keep the kitten here amused!)

Tina

Tina Ferraro
Top Ten Uses for an Unworn Prom Dress
How to Hook a Hottie
The ABC's of Kissing Boys
http://www.tinaferraro.com/

3 comments:

Janie Emaus said...

Hi,
I was pretty much embarassed most of Jr. High, so I can't pick out a particular incident.

I'm glad those days are in the past.

stephhale said...

That is truly hilarious, Tina!
I can remember one embarrassing event from when I was about nine. I didn't like the sitter my mom had hired that night and I wouldn't let her do anything for me. I wanted to prove I wasn't a baby by making my own dinner. I was mixing up some tuna fish for a sandwich and I noticed her smirking, asking if I needed some help. I ignored her and took a huge bite of my sandwich. I quickly realized that I had accidentially grabbed the marshallow creme and mixed it with the tuna instead of the mayonnaise (the jars looked almost identical). There was NO way I was spitting it out. I had to suffer through a few more bites before I could throw it away!

TinaFerraro said...

Oh, so funny, Steph! You gotta put that in a book!