Have you ever wanted the floor to open up and swallow you?
I experienced that a few years ago when I was invited to meet with a few prominent local people.
In all honesty, I was a little uncomfortable at first. I grew up as a tomboy who was more concerned about digging up bugs and riding my bike than learning etiquette. If you have read any of my articles, you’ll know how much my momma and my Mamaw Girdle/Myrtle were concerned about proper etiquette. As I grew older, I did realize the importance of learning it, but I just never thought I would be around anybody important enough to worry about my every move.
Never say never.
When I arrived to the meeting, I was dressed in some of my nicest clothes and I had made sure every hair was in place. As I mingled with them, I paid extra close attention to my behavior. After a few minutes, I thought, “I’ve got this. Momma and Mamaw Girdle/Myrtle would be so proud.”
That’s when it happened. That’s when every eye in the room turned toward me.
Normally, I kept my cell phone on mute during the day. This particular day, Tim was off and I had turned my phone on case he needed to talk to me as I drove to the meeting. Being anxious about it, I totally forgot to mute my phone again.
You can probably guess what happened. Yep, my cell phone went off in the midst of everyone. But that wasn’t the worst part. Oh no. The week prior I had my daughter change my ringtone. Have you ever seen the GEICO commercial where the pig has his head hanging out of the car window while holding two little windmills and squealing at the top of his lungs? That was what I had chosen has my new ringtone.
So there I am in the midst of this professional setting and the sound of a squealing pig emits from my purse. “Wheeeeee! Wheeeeee!”
Yep, I was horrified. I immediately ran out of the room and into a hallway.
Unfortunately for him, Tim was calling me. When I answered the phone, I let him have it. “Do you know who I was with when you called? Do you know what they heard?”
Tim apologized and I instantly felt guilty. It wasn’t his fault I changed my ring tone to a squealing piggy. It wasn’t his fault I had forgotten to mute my phone. Then I apologized to him. I had nobody to blame but my humiliated self.
“And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ’s sake hath forgiven you.” Ephesians 4:32 (KJV)
While it is freeing, being forgiven is a big responsibility in that we have to forgive others as well. As for Tim, he was gracious about the whole situation and took it in stride. Too bad I didn’t do the same when “Wheeeeee!” first emitted from my purse.
“There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female: for ye are all one in Christ Jesus.” Galatians 3:28 (KJV)
First of all, those prominent people that I met were no important to the Lord than I was. Always keep that in mind. Besides, I bet each one of them had their own “Wheeee!” moments too.
Brooke Cox is an author, speaker, and storyteller. Also, she is a member of Toastmasters and will be attending storytelling camp again for the fourth summer. She was a 2016 Selah Awards Finalist for Debut Novel. And she has two books out in her storytelling series, Saucy Southern Stories. The Amazon links for her books may be found on her website: brookecoxstories.com. Please feel free to contact her. She would love to hear from you.