Salon, Brooklyn Heights
Memory is a strange thing. I tend to block out unpleasant ones, which means I have practically no memory of my time in Catholic school, and only a select few of my grandparents, who could be real tyrants when they wanted to. The Catholic school memories are understandable – I only went there from kindergarten through second grade, and who really wants to remember evil nuns? But my grandparents…I knew them until I was about 15 years old. Shouldn’t I remember more about them? Obviously Julie’s brain works in mysterious ways to protect her.
But Julie’s brain is devious, because it still allows me to see, in great detail, all of the humiliating moments of my life. That time when I called my 4th grade teacher, Miss Petruska, “Mom” in the middle of class? Yep, crystal clear. That time when I was headed to bed at my babysitter’s and I thought her husband was talking to me when he said “Do you have any cash?” and I replied “Just my lunch money,” and they laughed? So vivid that a blush of embarassment still creeps to my cheeks when something brings it back. What the hell is that about? Why am I stuck with these memories? Why do they still make me cringe all these years later? Does anyone else have this problem, or is it just me?
Those are the cutest little embarrassing moments I’ve ever heard – wait til something REALLY embarrassing happens!
Yes- and I too blush or cringe at the memories.
I think that’s nature’s way of making sure we don’t do those things again?
Jay~Oh, there were more, those were just the two I could remember off the top of my head. There are also ones where I said something thoughtlessly cruel and still cringe over it, particularly if it was to a friend or family member. I would post one of those, but the one that I still cringe over the most involves my mom and she reads this blog – if she’s forgotten it, I don’t want to bring it up again.
KC~Maybe that’s it. A small mental slap on the hands with a ruler, as it were.
Unfortunately all the good and bad memories are stuck in my head. I, however, had good Catholic school memories, being I only went to Catholic high school, where I met the Wife. I fondly recall the upside-down pentegram I kept inside my locker, making out with the Wife (then Girlfriend) in the stairwell, and VERY short-skirted uniforms in the spring.
You know, I’m just going to have to post some of those stories, there’s so many to mention. Oh, and I actually did start really believing in the Catholic faith by the time I left high school! But that’s another story in and of itself.
Vince~I only went to Catholic school because my birthday was so late that I was past the public school deadline. By the time I got to the end of 2nd grade, we knew it was not the place for me, and I transferred to public school.
I torture myself with embarassing memories all the time. I usually have to physically shake my head and cringe to get stop thinking about it!
I recommend drinking. That helps you get rid of memories. Useful or not.
I’ve got so many embarrassing moments and I’m doubly blessed/cursed with a very vivid recall function. Like you though, why the ones from childhood and why do they makes us buckle? Dunno!
Seamus~Maybe because embarassment was such a horrible thing when we were kids? There wasn’t anything worse than being laughed at by your classmates, and we always dreaded them finding out out worst secrets.
Pup~And leads to drunk dialling to talk about those memories, right?
ESC~Oh, good, I’m not the only one who has a physical reaction to them! It’s wrong of me to be happy about that, isn’t it?
Nope me too. I tend to forget the good stuff and FOREVER remember the embarassing moments!
I’m stuck with the memory of being 6 years old, at a party at my dad’s friend’s house, and running square into their sliding glass door, because I thought it was open.
Turns out it was just really clean. And I was really embarrassed.
Or how about the time on my 8th birthday, I was at the river at Brady’s Bend, playing with other kids, and I was jumping up and down on the bank of the river, which was about a 5 foot dropoff to the small beach area. I miscalculated my jumps and jumped right off the cliff.
I remember hiding behind a bench after that one.
Most recently, I remember walking down the steps to leave Greg and Starr’s house after their Christmas party and my knee totally giving out and me falling. I did, however, have a couple of drinks (my first drinks after giving birth). But I wasn’t drunk. I was just a klutz.
So yeah, I totally relate.
Did someone say cringe? This will make everyone feel better. Back in 1987 I had started on a slimfast diet and went to a Halloween party and drank a lot on a practically empty stomach. I saw a woman I had not seen in a while and asked how things were with her adopted daughter. She tearfully told me that the girl had died of “Crib Death” (that’s what it was called at the time) and I said, “Well can you get your money back?”
Worst response in the history of the universe.
Please, I just don’t want to go there. Too much ugliness…
Bwahahahaha! Those are hilarious. And I think most everyone has done the “Mom” thing with a teacher. I had a very weak stomach in 1st and 2nd grade and that caused some issues.
Geewits, that’s one of the worst of all time.
Lisa~I have good memories, too, but they don’t come back to me nearly as much as the bad ones. Why is that?
E-Lo~You and I were both easily embarassed children. I feel your pain. Especially the sliding door one, because I did that at a party in high school. Good times.
Geewits~You win. That’s horrible, yet insanely funny at the same time.
Nanner~I totally understand.
I was in so much trouble in Catholic school it’s not even funny, oh the HORROR!! LOL
I went to “Our Lady of Corporal Punishment”, all I can say is, nuns are sick, twisted and devious!!
Se7~I went to Catholic school singing “Another One Bites the Dust” by Queen. Imagine the trouble I got into.