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I have plenty of tripping stories, where my coping strategy is usually to laugh at myself and pick myself up as quickly as possible. But the worst one was when I was a student-teacher at an urban school in Seattle. I was 21 years old, teaching 11th and 12th graders (you do the math). I was swamped with grading papers since it was all English classes, but I wanted to attend the girls' basketball game that night since a few of them were in my classes. So I took the papers with me in a big folder and sat down about halfway up the gym risers.
I had to leave a few minutes before the end of the game for another appointment, so I tried to get up quietly and head down the stairs. Of course, several of my students were also in the audience, so they were pointing me out. I was wearing this huge long wool jacket (it was winter, and I had to dress formally to look older than I was) and on the 2nd to last stair, I tripped on my coat in a royally embarrassing manner and landed on the gym floor.
Student papers flew everywhere, and while some of my students asked if I was okay, most of them were putting all of their energy into not laughing. I don't blame them! But I was still fucking embarrassed, and got myself up and out of there as soon as possible. A couple of students mentioned the incident to me the next day and I laughed it off, but damn... of all the places to look dumb.
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And think not you can direct the course of Love;
for Love, if it finds you worthy, directs your course.
--Khalil Gibran
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