Common Threads: Our most Embarrassing Moments...

In our last Common Thread, we discussed the efforts we’ve taken to make a Good Impression. Today, I want to go to the opposite extreme. I want to talk about those moments in our lives where we failed miserably at making a good impression; those moments that bruise our egos and scar our memories; those moments where we publicly flaunt our arrogance, stupidity or just really poor choices. Fortunately, no one gets through life without making some horrible mistakes… It’s a Common Thread that unites us all… so let’s share our stories!

(If you’re new to Common Threads, click here)

My most embarrassing moment is VERY embarrassing—but it’s even more so when you consider the context. If you happened to read my First Kiss and Pursuit of Love stories you’d understand the kind of kid I was when I was 15. I was a straight arrow. I grew up in a very conservative home; I was a boy scout, the son of a Bishop, and I lived a very moral and chaste life. At 15 I had never had a girlfriend, never been on a date and never so much as kissed a girl. I was also a performer…

VAIL, COLORADO, 1990. I was now a member of a performing group called “Applause” where we performed popular songs from the 50s and 60s (dressed in black and hot pink outfits). On this particular occasion, we had been invited to perform for the Special Olympics…

You’d be hard pressed to find a better crowd than those attending the Special Olympics—everyone just seemed to be in a very positive mood, and performing for them was a real joy.

In one of our musical numbers, I would regularly team up with another 15-year-old boy named Scott and we’d sing a duet called “Hello Mary Lou”. Before the song would begin, we would always invite a girl in the audience to join us on stage and, for this performance, we chose a wonderful girl who happened to be one of the Special Olympians. I remember her beaming smile—the kind of smile that makes you feel like you’re doing something very special for her. The crowd, of course, was very encouraging and enthusiastic on her behalf…

In the song, Scott and I would take turns singing to the girl. Whenever one of us was singing, the other would be pouting—awaiting his chance to steal the girl away. After each verse, we would then join in together on the chorus and, if all goes well, both the girl and the audience have a great time.

So now we come to it: The embarrassing moment. It was Scott’s turn and he was singing to the beaming Special Olympian. Meanwhile, I was pouting looking in the opposite direction and eagerly awaiting my turn. I knew what I was going to do: When it was my turn to sing, I would reach back (without looking), grab her by the shoulder and pull her towards me. And so I did. Only, it wasn’t her shoulder…

I can’t remember if it was the gasp from the audience or my director’s horrified expression that tipped me off that something was wrong—most likely, it was both. The whole sequence lasted only about 3 seconds—and as soon as I realized where my hand was I withdrew it like you would from a hot stove—but it was just long enough to go from being “the boy who had never even kissed a girl” to “the boy who publicly groped an intellectually disabled girl, on stage”. I suppose my only condolence is that throughout the performance, she never lost her beaming smile (even if everyone else did)…

In every Common Thread, I like to take a moment to highlight people who I think are valuable contributors in the community. I find these people by reading the stories they post in Common Threads. After checking out their profiles and recent blogs, I will usually follow them—and for those who really stand out, I will try and promote them in future Common Threads.

Here are some authors who I think are making valuable contributions:

• @ecoknowme – Eco is a “fellow romantic” that I just discovered this last week. Not only is Eco very active and engaged in the community, but is an excellent writer who puts out high quality, thought-provoking blogs.
• @steemdeepthink – this is actually a collaborative account created by some deep thinkers and philosophers. I want to promote it here because I love deep discussions and want to support the cause!

Now it’s your turn. The real purpose of Common Threads is to hear from you! Misery loves company, so I would love to hear some of your most embarrassing moments—and I think others would, too. Add your story in the comments! Or, if you prefer, blog your story separately and link back to this thread so we can find it! If you don’t want to share, then maybe you’ll take a moment to read other people’s stories and encourage them by upvoting the ones you like. Now, without further ado: