Everyone has a certain thing from their childhood that people always remember and bring up when the situation is fitting. Here is one of mine.
When I was younger, I had a nervous stomach. EVERYTHING made me nervous , scared and queasy.. going to a friends birthday party, going to the mall , everything. I have NO idea why. I am certainly the opposite now but my mother would cringe whenever I would receive any kind of invitation in anticipation of what would happen next.
In grade school, every Tuesday was ' Hot Dog' day. I went to Catholic school and back then the cafeteria was usually just the place where we went to eat. You didn't have the option to buy your lunch.. you brought it in with you every day....with the exception of Tuesdays.
Did you ever smell a hot dog when you boil it in water? I know I know.. now they are usually microwaved now but back then everyone boiled hot dogs and it was (and still is) one of the most repulsive smells ever!!!! The cafeteria was in the 'basement' but I could smell those hot dogs a mile away. Hundreds of them flopping around in hot dog juice covered water....
Most kids looked forward to Tuesdays because it was a break from the 'norm' and in Catholic grade school everything was exteremly regimented , organized and methodical. So Hot Dog day was a day of excitement... for everyone except me . For me it was a day of queasiness.
It made me nervous.. I was nervous about going to the cafeteria and getting through lunch without my peanut butter or cheese or whatever it was sandwich coming up as everyone else around was getting their smelly boiled grossness. So not only did the smell make my stomach turn but the thought of getting through lunch without puking made me want to puke more.
Most days I managed to squeak by without incident...most...
I remember the day well... It was lunchtime and we were all told to go back to the coat closet to get our coats so that after we ate we could go outside for recess. As the teacher opened the coat closet, it was like there were 5 million hot dogs being boiled inside. The smell completely overwhelmed me instantly then........blah......... all over- it just came out.. The kids all kinda ran away and the teacher went and got that saw dust crap to cover the smell ( I'm pretty sure that bag was there for me anyway ;) and then sent me on my way to the cafeteria. They were used to me puking so the whole 'call my mom thing' didn't happen anymore they just sent me on my way..... I was sooo worried that I was going to get picked on for the rest of my life... like Billy was for pooping his pants in class. The nun didn't know who did it and and no one was confessing so she ( honest to God) walked around smelling everyone's ass until she found it) . But I don't remember ever getting picked on or harrassed for it.. and if they did I most likely wasn't paying them any mind and just sitting there waiting to get out of the cafeteria so I could return to breathing fresh clean non hot dog air.
Tomorrow, my work is having a hot dog cart. They are calling it Hot Dog Day. I am glad I am off!!!
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