A humbling experience...

I asked my wife on Friday morning what she had planned for the weekend. I hate to plan ahead and find out that she had plans to do something other than what I had in mind. Also I am forgetful. She told me that she wanted to take me out to dinner for my birthday that had just screamed by. Not a pleasurable event, like when you're a kid. So I guess I deemed it as a marker to inform the world that I had made it through another year, woo hoo!

I thought it would be nice to go out on Saturday night, since it's been awhile for us. The night came, and I had to pick a place to go. We like the food at "Texas Roadhouse", so off we went. Of course it was packed, like anywhere around the Dallas area on weekends, all food venues are really busy. We signed in, and had a 20 to 30 minute wait. I was relaxed and not in a rush, and enjoyed the crowd around us, which I normally don't like. Lately I have slowed down and like watching people to see what I can surmise of their little blurbs of conversations or expressions. In no time, they called us and we were promptly seated. The meal was great, and now we were sitting there having a goofy conversation, trying to wonder how we became so stuffed.

Now out of nowhere, came a crew of waitresses, and waiters sliding up a saddle on legs, and were grinning at me like a crew of bird fed cats! I thought they had been smoking some Ganja or shooting some Jack Daniels shots in the Kitchen between plates, when it dawned on me, my wife put them up to this! Our waiter was grinning at me, as he sprawled out in a slight Texas accent, "were here to celebrate yore Birthday, so come on out here and sit on this saddle"! My reaction was unexpected as I told them that I wasn't going to do it! I cannot pick up my leg over that saddle I blurbed out, explaining that my leg doesn't work very good. Well that didn't fly as one of the girls said, " Ok then sit side saddle"! I glance around and see a lot of strangers looking at me and thought, this is drawing way too much attention for my liking. Now what did that girl say "SIDE SADDLE"!!! That will never happen, and in an instant I changed from Stumpy to John Wayne!!! Ta dah...

Now you have to imagine that I had to physically had to lift my leg to get into the booth, and now I was going to have to gracefully try to get out without looking like a klutz. So it takes three tries as I have to lift my leg with my hands and scoot it over to the aisle to exit the booth. Now it sort of gets quiet, maybe at first they thought I was just bashful and shy with the "I can't do the saddle" excuse. Now I am really feeling watched. So to counter the awkwardness of the moment, I finally stand up and ask the waiter to step aside, telling him that if I could be on the other side, I could flip my good leg over the saddle for them. He moves out of the way and gives me room to move around to the opposite side. I look at the people across the aisle from our table, and ask them to excuse all of the ruckus, I'll be doggoned if they aren't grinning more than the saddle crew! Now as I climb on, everyone is now laughing again as they give me a rolled up cloth napkin, telling me that they are going to announce my birthday to everyone, and when they were done, I had to swirl the napkin over my head and let loose with a "Yee Haw"! So they announce it loud and crazy like, and when it comes time for me to swirl and yell, I started swirling that napkin over my head and let out one big Texas style "Yeeeeee - Haaaawwww"!

I'll have to admit that it was fun, and I guess I owed it to my wife to be a good sport, she was a good sport when a similar event happened to her... as I whistle and look around in an innocent fashion.

It was my first real awkward moment in public, and I lived through it. I found out that you can either draw more attention to yourself being fussy, or go with the flow and help out the whole situation. Flowing seemed like a good choice at the time. As I go along I find out what my limits are, and I'm sure that for worse or better it will happen again, but I'm better prepared for it now.