By Dalia Martinez
No! I can't! It's too embarrassing. You'll never see me in the same light. What? You really want to know? For the sake of this blog (and for your eyes ONLY) I'll tell you about one of the most embarrassing moments ever.
But, before I do, a couple of Writing Pad announcements. . .
This September, we want you to get published! How about that? Here are two classes that will help you do just that. Successful freelance journalist Margaret Wappler (who has already helped five students sell essays, including one 15 essay series for xoJane), is teaching a five week Personal Essay class, and Maureen McHugh (Best Book of 2011) is teaching a Flash Fiction Bootcamp. Both of these classes are designed to help you get a short piece published right after you finish the class! Sign up before these classes are full.
And now, you can scroll down for your writing prompt. I can't wait to see what you come up with.
Writing Pad Events
Journalism/Web Writing
Fiction/Memoir
Writing for Actors
Screenwriting
Writing Prompt:
They happen at the worst times- embarrassing moments. They could involve bodily functions, a loss of equilibrium, wardrobe malfunctions. . . Marilyn visited her family this past weekend in Chicago, so this prompt is inspired by her visit (as family can often create many embarrassing moments).
Make a list of 3 embarassing moments you've experienced (either with your family or alone). Pick one. Add a sensory detail to it (smell, taste, sound, touch). Now write about that embarrassing moment for 10 minutes, making sure to include that sensory detail. Then, post your results in the comments of this blog!
And now it's time for me to share my embarrassing moment. So here it is. I got trapped inside a bathroom at a wedding. It was the only bathroom at an intimate ceremony held at an apartment in Los Angeles. Fearing the embarrassing moment of being caught on the toilet by a stranger I made sure the door was locked. Really locked. I turned the 1940s bolt till it couldn't turn anymore. My skin stung from pushing through the layers of paint turning the circular button. Safe and secure I peed, washed my hands, touched up on the mirror. I turned the same bolt in the opposite direction, but it wouldn't budge! I took a towel to grip it. Nothing. I tried my dress. Nothing.
By now, people were pounding on the door." Hurry up!" I was too embarrassed to fess up to locking myself in. A child's voice screamed to his mother, "I have to pee!" I sweated like a freight train was coming towards me. The bride's voice crept from the other side of the door. The reception had halted. People asked what was going on. I gripped that bolt every which way I could. In the end, I punched out the screen and got out through window. The darn bolt just didn't move.
Write about an embarrassing moment for 10 minutes. Then, post your story below and you could win a free writing class!
Posts
2 comments:
A orange-cream colored seashell training bra stared at me from the plastic package in which my brother thrusted at me after his trip shopping with our dad. It didn't seem strange to me that they had been chosen for this task above myself, my sister, or my mom. I wasn't embarrassed or revolted by the color (as my brother's smirk told me he was hoping for), but elated as only a 9 and a half year old could be.
Fast forward 4 years later to a 13 year old spending the night with her BFF, sharing a bathroom with BFF's brother who slept in a room down the hall. The bathroom was a gray blue color with a bath/shower and always a fresh, curly dog-hair styled white mat to put your feet on afterwards. As I towel dried my short mop of hair and looked myself over in the mirror I became engrossed with a new red bump surfacing on my cheek.
I started at a knock on the door and heard my BFF's brother clear his throat. wrapping the maroon towel around me tightly I stepped out with my fresh clothes. I could hear him laughing and wondered what was so funny. Moments later my BFF stepped into her bedroom with a panicked smile on her face. "What?," I swallowed as she drew her hands around to the front of her chest holding my crumpled orange-cream colored seashell training bra.
Embarassing Moment
My moment happened in the second grade living in Perth, Australia. I rode my bike to school, it felt like any other day, but this day I had to go to the bathroom really bad in the classroom. I asked the teacher "if I could go to the bathroom" she didn't look at me. I asked a second time if I could go to the bathroom. Still no response from the teacher. I asked a third time and she didn't look my direction even on the third time. A small dribble of pee ran down my leg and that day I learned you say toliet in Australia. The Aussies thought I needed a bath, no I didn't have to pee, I had to learn to use the word toliet so I could get to pee. And even though Aussies speak English some words are not the same. I learned that day language is important, and I was so glad no one called me pee pee head. And a girl gave me another pair of underwear to wear for the day.
Post a Comment