I replayed everything I had done in the bathroom. I had carefully washed my hands before I went into the stall, but she was right, I had rushed right out without washing my hands. As a nurse I was humiliated. I know better than that. I couldn't believe I had done it. I was now one of the bottom fifty percent. Now my face was red with humiliation as well as humidity.
She interrupted my mental shaming with more loud whispers. "I can see I have offended you, I am sorry if I did, but I don't think you understand the importance of hand washing after using the bathroom, it is critical in preventing disease and..."
I turned to face her and I cut her off with my own loud whisper, "I am a nurse, and I promise you that I know it's important". " I was in a rush and I just forgot". "It was a simple mistake." She sniffed and said, "Well in that case, you should know what you need to do now". She stared meaningfully at my hands for a moment and then, point made, she primly smiled and turned away to watch the presentation.
I sat back in my chair and stared straight ahead not seeing or hearing anything but the raging thoughts in my head. I was still embarrassed, and I wondered if any of the other class members had heard our exchange. I am pretty sure the couple sitting behind us had. Were people staring at me now? It was hard to tell in the semi-darkness.
The more I thought, the angrier I became. I sat there clicking my pen over and over as I thought. I could have gotten up and done the walk of shame back to the bathroom. But the hell if I was going to give grandma the satisfaction. So I sat staring at my germy hands folded in front of me like twin Typhoid Mary's and tried to focus on the instructors words.
YOU ARE READING
The Arboretum
Non-FictionA true story of the insane thing that happened to me when I stepped out of my comfort zone and signed up for an adult ed class at a local arboretum.
