I’m going to share one of my biggest cringe stories. Here is it straight, without any justifications, lessons, rationalizations, or apologies.

I was at the university, a woman studies course, I think. The instructor passed out cards with a question that each student was to read out loud and then answer for the class.

I do not remember the question I got except that it contained the word “annihilate”. I was an A student, but for some reason my brain did not recognize nor did it even remotely register this word. I actually panicked because I knew I had to read this card out loud in front of everyone.

Believe me when I say that I would have rather stood naked in front of the class than to deal with the brain freeze I was experiencing. The instructor had seated herself next to me so, given no other choice, I leaned over to asked her what that word was.

With a look of incredulous disappointment, she read the word to me with a lilt of surprise at the end of the pronunciation. I knew the word. I knew what the word meant. There was no way on earth I was going to convince the instructor that I wasn’t a dumbass so I just said thank you and waited my turn.

I still get embarrassed just thinking about it.