Wait...You Are NOT Pregnant???

Yesterday, while at my job at the library, a woman needed help finding a book.  She regularly visits the library and while I have not had a heart to heart with her, I try to make small talk whenever she visits.

I asked her about a certain author she had just read and suddenly she turned to me and was chatty.  "How have you been, dear?"

"Fine and dandy," I replied.

"Now, when is your due date?"

Silence.

Then I stuttered over my words a bit..."Um, well, no baby for us."

She turned her full attention to me and comfortingly grabbed my wrist.  "Oh, my dear, what happened?"

"Well,"I began, touched by her concern for me, "I wasn't ever pregnant."

I will add that as this conversation had gone on, I had gone from lazily leaning against a book shelf to standing tall and maybe perhaps - okay, totally - sucking in my tummy.

The poor lady.  She blushed red.  "Oh, I m so sorry!  Why did I think you were pregnant?  I was sure you were!"

I didn't know.  I could not help her there.  Had I been smart aleck-y and quick on my feet I would have initially said, "I thought you said you were giving me a baby shower?" back when this conversation had begun.

I am not quick on my feet.

That's why I like to toss those bits in a blog post.

Anyhow, this poor lady remembered then that I had been making a big deal out of my birthday and she had just somehow switched that to think I was talking about giving birth.  As in, about to give birth.  Thus being pregnant.

And I was thinking, "I am so walking the track the entire time football practice is going on tonight.  And doing sit-up's.  And never eating food again."

Except immediately following this conversation with this lady we had book club and we had so many good foods to eat and I couldn't not eat the food - that would be rude!  I couldn't be rude.  I had to eat the soup, chicken pot pie, cream puff dessert, pumpkin bar, scone and ham salad sandwich.

Today I am wearing an outfit that makes me look thin - I think.  I hope.  I did not wear my spanx though so...well, I probably look like I am about to give birth.

The poor lady.  The thing that touched me though is she was so concerned about me.  I went from just being the library girl who isn't as good at the job as the head librarian but okay to being a girl she was willing to help and truly cared about.  That touched me.

I need to keep that in mind.  Putting your foot in your mouth isn't a bad thing - totally - when you sincerely care for the person.

But I am really wishing I had worn my spanx today.