Challenge 8: Embarassing Moment

Tell us about the most embarrassing moment of your life. (Santa Clara University)

One winter morning, as I were sitting in the balcony of our home, enjoying all the warmth I could get, my sister came and stood next to me and started giggling. I looked at her, asked her why she was being so annoying, didn't even wait for an answer and just continued to face the sun with my eyes shut. She continued laughing under her hands. Again, I asked her , seriously this time, why she was bothering me. Then, she said, "Mamu just told me about something you used to do when you were little. I bet even you don't know about it." This grabbed my attention: she knew something about me that even I didn't know. I made my scary-sister-face and demanded," Sanu, you better tell me what it is or else I'll tell Mamu that you made me drink your share of the milk today."

As I said this, her eyes widened, and she started pleading me: "No, no! Please don't do that. Okay, I will tell you what she said, just don't tell Mamu about the milk."

I nodded, keeping my face expressionless.

"The thing is," she said, "I don't know if you will be able to handle it yourself." She giggled some more and added, "We were talking about you in the kitchen earlier, and Mamu let slip that you used to eat ants when you were little. Just pick them up one after another and pop them into your mouth!"

I turned red in the face, turned around, and left with my sister's evil laugh still ringing in my ears. I went to my mother who was sitting there, watching my brother play, and humming to herself. I glared at her and asked, "Mamu! How can you say such an embarrassing thing to Sa when you know she is going to tease me forever?"

My mother just looked at me, smiled, and calmly replied, "You girls are sisters. This is how its meant to be. You get to tease and joke around with her and she gets to do the same to you . Don't be too upset about it, Na."

What my mother did that day was something that kept me mad for quite a while. I refused to talk to her the whole day, angry at her for telling my sister about such an embarrassing thing. My sister, on the other hand, tortured me the whole day and continuously called me an "ant-eater." She still teases me all the time, but the good thing is even I know some really embarrassing moments from her side. But, more on that later.