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BLUSH AND CRINGE

This is my first installment of Blush and Cringe! In other words, my most recent social faux pas.

Setting: At church

Occasion: Stake Conference (all the wards or congregations get together every 6 months for a conference)

In the hallway I see Kelsey, a daughter of a woman who simply can not escape me. Our paths are constantly crossing, which has never been a problem before this particular Sunday.

Kelsey is her oldest daughter. She recently graduated from college and is in her first year teaching elementary school. She was also pregnant the last time I saw her. Today she is carrying a car seat and walking with her husband. I catch Kelsey's attention so I can admire the baby.

The baby is adorable! He gives me a toothless smile. I note the small, slightly turned up eyes. I wonder if it would be rude to grab his hands and check for the Simian line.

I love Down's Syndrome babies. I have a special affinity because of my little friend, Gavin. My children spent five years in daycare with him. I gave him his first really bad haircut. Surprisingly, Amy never asked me to babysit Gavin again.

"Is he Down's?" I asked Kelsey, with growing excitement.

"No," she said.

Could I save myself at this point? Could I explain that it's really a compliment? Could I have just gotten a good look at her husband, a tall man with small, blue, upturned eyes? Could I stop, rewind, play?

No.

Comments

  1. I am laughing out loud right now. I think that has to be worse than asking a fat woman if she is pregnant.

    Hahahaha.

    ReplyDelete
  2. lol @kristina, the worst is when youre not fat (in my case) and people ask when youre due! When i was 16 I was really sick for 3 weeks with mono (among other things all at once) and after the 3 weeks when i could finally keep food down, i went out and had a huge lunch with my friends, 3 DIFFERENT times that day I was asked when my baby was due! I was mortified!

    ReplyDelete
  3. It's too late now, but you should have just say, well, praise jesus!

    ReplyDelete
  4. p.s. i just sent a request to be your friend in goodreads...

    ReplyDelete
  5. Ugh! So not good. Oh well, we've all been there. Most of us anyway. Well, me for sure. :)

    ReplyDelete
  6. For once, I think you have left me speechless.

    Eagerly (?) awaiting your next installment...

    ReplyDelete
  7. THAT is hysterical. Liking foot much?

    ReplyDelete
  8. Um...yeah. Wow. I have nothing to say and that is VERY unusual. I saw you linked up with me today but I can't find your letter. Help?

    ReplyDelete
  9. Dude.
    Duuuuuuude.
    That is rough.

    I'm not laughing at you, I'm laughing with-oh who am I kidding? I am totally laughing at you.

    ReplyDelete

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