Humiliations Galore!

If I haven't commented to some of you lately, I apologize. I've been a bit preoccupied. Let's start with a flashback.
When I was in grade school, students would come in and line up every morning in the gym before being marched off to their classes. You were supposed to stand there quietly, first graders through sixth, until your teacher came. If you were disruptive (i.e. wiggly or talking) you got pulled off your class line and had to stand against the wall, where the vice principal would take down your name and class and call your parents. I remember I was in second grade. I tried very hard to be still and quiet, but still, I was only a second grader. So when a monitor tapped my shoulder to step off the line, I was mortified. I didn't want to go. I didn't want my teacher or my parents to be disappointed in me. Red faced, I defended myself until my teacher was there and started leading us to our classroom. The monitor followed and stopped me from entering. Panicked, I started wheezing. Stress induced asthma. I want my mom, please don't get me in trouble.

This is the image I had in my mind this weekend as my court date approached for my speeding ticket. Let me elaborate: my very first moving violation since I got my driver's license at 19. This ticket had been hanging over my head for a year and a half as I waited for the courthouse to contact me. Yes, 1 and a half years! There are some very nasty speed traps nearby and I got caught in one. Now, I honestly don't know how fast I was going, but I do know I couldn't possibly have been going 51 in the 30 zone. How do I know? I was on my way to pick up my kids after foot surgery. To the ball of my right foot. It hurt. The irony of this whole situation is that I almost failed my driving test at 19 because my examiner thought I was driving TOO SLOW. Wouldn't he be proud of me now!
Anyway, after waiting an hour on Monday afternoon with a group of people who also got caught at that speed trap, (we had time, we talked) I ended up taking the plea deal that knocked the ticket down to 40. I could believe I might have been doing 40. With my fear of confrontation and public ridicule, I figured this was the best approach. It's hard to defend yourself in a situation where everyone assumes you are guilty and won't even make eye contact. And you all remember how eloquent I am at speaking in public places. I am an honest person. I'm willing to admit a mistake, I just don't want to be treated like a hardened criminal.
So $175 and 3 points later, I left the courthouse. One humiliation down, one to go.

This morning, I had my very first mammogram. Talk about your week of firsts! I tell you, there is nothing like having a tender part of your body squashed into an unnatural position in a machine. I can laugh about it all now. But I hope I get credit for all these humbling experiences! Or at least a nice bouquet on Mothers Day!