Let’s Talk! – The Moment That Defines Awkwardness

Have you made yourselves comfy? Have you put away your smartphones and switched off your TV-set? For here is the first of a whole year of Friday invites to talk, to ponder, or to write. I have this fun book by my author-friend Tyrean Martinson (https://www.amazon.com/Pocket-Sized-Jumble-Writing-500-Prompts/dp/1735769509) – and prompt number one reads as you see in the headline. To make it easier on you, I will start.

Awkward by definition means difficult, inconvenient, gauche – and all the synonyms in between. To me it is definitely connected with embarrassment. And for sure, I have had a lot of moments in my life that felt awkward. Sometimes, others might not even have been aware of how much so. But it’s those moments when you want to turn back the clock or shrink into oblivion because you think you won’t ever be able to live them down. I keep telling myself that everybody has their own special moments of awkwardness or embarrassment, unless they deem themselves so above error (and are, therefore, outside reality) that they never experience what awkwardness feels like. The moment of blood rushing to the face and shutting down. Humiliation.

How is the best way to deal with it? When you caught yourself at it, and there is no way that somebody else hasn’t been aware of your mistake either?

I think I was about sixteen or seventeen, a very conscientious student at my German grammar school. Our teachers started treating us like adults, although hardly any in my class were of age, yet. One of my favorite teachers – and also one of those who were feared most in school – was my geography teacher that year. I loved the way she taught us facts – she even had slide shows of her travels at hand. But woe if she caught anybody acting in ways that went against her grain. Her irony was biting. Maybe her disdain was what most of us feared.

One day, I was walking home the one-mile stretch from school, when about five minutes from our apartment block, I realized to my horror that I had totally forgotten that I should be sitting in another class that very moment. Geography. With that very teacher. Of course! I had left school without giving notice and without any teacher’s permission. The consequences would be grave, I was sure.

It was not a happy camper who came home for lunch that day. Of course, my mother had to know about this, as she was supposed to write an excuse note for me. I couldn’t yet do this for myself – I wasn’t of age. I racked my brain what to tell that teacher. How could I tell her I had forgotten HER class?! On the other hand, all of the alibis I came up with were so flimsy and see-through, it would have made both of us, my mother AND me, look bad. I couldn’t do this to my mother. So, we made a brutal decision.

The next day, I had that same teacher in another geography class, again. With trembling hands, I handed her the letter. It told her … the truth. I stood there, awkward, embarrassed, waiting for the guillotine.

And then … she started to laugh. I had never seen this stern teacher so highly amused. There was never any note in the class records, never any punishment. She simply forgave me because of my honesty.

Awkward. It’s something that happens all the time. To everyone. That one time, though, taught me that the least painful way to deal with awkwardness is to take the bull by its horns and own up. It saves face for everyone. It’s a relief to admit a flaw, a fault, a mistake.

How often have I been through difficult, inconvenient situations and felt gauche?! Whenever in doubt how to deal with it, I think of my teacher’s hearty laugh.

YOUR turn now …