And...Exit Stage Right

I'm down in Alabama visiting Michael. I should have posted before I left, as I was pretty much giddy with anticipation. It's been a really good visit - with the exception of 2 things - I'm now sick (just a cold - nothing major), and the story I'm about to tell you.

Part of it has to do with the way I am. For those of you who don't know me in real life, I begin to get sad (and therefore snippy and rather unpleasant) as the end of a vacation nears. I begin to have that countdown clock in my head - only 2 more days left - which is dumb. I don't know why I can't fully enjoy something without anticipating the sadness that comes at the end. It comes soon enough - I don't know why I move the timetable up.

Okay - so that should set the stage for my state of mind Sunday (when I'm scheduled to leave on Monday). The candidate Michael is working for and his wife kindly invited us to go to church with them. We went, it was a lovely service - and then it was time for Sunday school.

Now, Michael loves Sunday school. That was his group of friends when he lived here. This church is ginormous, so there are about 600 Sunday school classes. The class he used to go to was something like "young singles", but he figures none of his friends go to that one anymore since we're no longer either of those terms. We didn't really know where to go, so the candidate invites us to his class and introduces us around. That's where the trouble began. It means something to folks down here to be FROM here. Michael doesn't want it to seem like his candidate brought in a hired gun from Washington. He could not figure out how to explain that he was originally from Alabama, lived in DC with his wife, and was temporarily back running the campaign. He would say things like, "I live here now. My wife is visiting from DC." People looked very confused. And the more it happened, the more upset I got.

On a positive side note, the people were wonderful. The candidate stepped in and saved him multiple times, explaining that I was loaning them Michael for the election. For the first time in the 5 or 6 years I've been coming down here, someone asked me what I do. Seems small - but it was huge to me.

So, once the social time was over and it was time to begin the lesson, we all settle into our chairs. I'd say there were about 20-25 people there. They introduce all the new people to the group, have a few announcements and begin the lesson.

"Today, we are going to continue on our topic of .... PARENTING."

Tears begin to flow.

Allison - Exit Stage Right.

And I don't mean a graceful exit. No - I mean nearly jumping over Michael with tears streaming down my face to try to get out of there as soon as possible.

I was sad, and on top of being sad, I was mad at Michael, and on top of that I was completely mortified at what I had just done. I mean, the simple word "parenting" sent me into a tailspin? Come on. I'm above that. Heck, I can sit through an entire conversation with friends about raising their kids with no problem! And for all this to happen in front of his boss. Oy. What would they think of him if his wife was such a mess?

I don't know why I didn't see it coming. They have a Sunday school class for left-handers (I'm actually only mildly exaggerating here), why wouldn't there be one for PARENTS? Duh.

All is fine now. Michael apologized - both to me and then for me (to the candidate and his wife). When he came out and was looking for me - after my dead sprint to a bathroom - he met a man in the hall. Turns out, he told Michael that he and his wife struggled with IF for 6 years and went through many rounds of IVF. I didn't ask what the result was - I didn't really want to know. It was just nice to know that we weren't alone. Especially in a fertile place like church. I guess I keep needing that reassurance.

So that is my tale of mortification for the day. Hopefully, that will be my last tale of embarrassment for awhile. Knowing me, probably not.