Today I did the unthinkable. Really, I feel so incredibly horrified... even now, 8 hours after it occurred. I saw a young woman (about my age) at the local coffee shop. I remembered becoming acquainted with her a few months earlier; our husbands went to high school together. I was by myself, just grabbinga quick drink. Then I thought "Oh! I'll go say hi to her" because, you know, I'm SO outgoing and everything. I knew she had a little baby/toddler, but obviously she was enjoying some "Mommy Time" by herself with her laptop.
So I bounded up and said hello. She smiled and acknowledged me (and said she remembered me, but I wouldn't blame her if she was only being polite). I asked how her daughter was and then.... and then... wait for it...
I asked her if she was expecting.
Guess what her answer was?
I used to think there was a special place in Hades for people who asked that question.
I have never, ever, ever jammed my foot in my mouth so far, so deep.
Twice after Susy was born, I was asked that very question. The first time, it was just the clerk at Trader Joe's, and it was four days after I had given birth. SO. Really, it didn't irk me too much. The second time I was asked by someone who should have known much better, but this person clearly had a mental disability and so I couldn't really take it that far. But I still took offense and breathed tongues of fire each time I looked at myself in the mirror.
Now. If I can claim any defense at all, this had been my first outing after a few days of battling a fever. I do believe some of my brain cells had been pressure cooked, or eliminated via sweat. I was without my children-- clearly, out of my element. I'm sure if I had had them, I would have been too distracted and stressed to bother any innocent bystanders with my ignorance. And I spoke before I even took a sip of my coffee-- always a mistake.
I hope that this sweet, beautiful young woman has a blog. And I hope that in it, she lambastes the horrible cretin who descended on her cherished "mommy time" and dropped the worst bomb possible onto her lap. Because that's what I deserve. Actually, that would be pretty minor punishment.
This has been a painfully humiliating experience. How could I have done this? Ha! Easy. I'm clearly not as flawless or tactful as I thought I was.
This situation also reassured me that I really make a fool out of myself when I try to initiate new friendships. I am unable to scout out kindred spirits without simultaneously scaring them or saying something absolutely dreadful/frightening/bizarre/stalkerish. Maybe it will improve with time.
