Laugh. (at yourself).

I was out walking/running last night [over on the east side of the North over-run, for those Yokota readers] when I had a very funny, but incredibly embarrassing moment. 


It was such a great night for a walk. I couldn't help but feel that it was perfect. I was listening to some new music and got into a great rhythm. It started to get dark, but I was only a couple miles away from meeting up with my husband who was playing Tennis with his buddies. Well I have this terrible habit of imagining that something is going to happen to me while I'm walking alone at night. Like some street cat is going to bite me and give me rabies. Or that a strange Japanese animal that no one has discovered (because they only come out at night, when I am walking) is going to chase after me. None of these are serious enough to make me not walk at night, it is just my imagination getting the best of me. But, these thoughts are enough to make me entirely creeped out and on edge for the rest of the walk. So, I get to the part of the trail that is lined with trees on one side and on the other this very long and tall fence. Well, I had noticed that the bats were flying from one side of the trail to the other. At first they were flying high enough not to bother me, but then as I kept walking they were swooping down at eye level! So now I'm telling myself, they are bats, they are blind, they are not after you, calm down, just keep going. 
I decided that I didn't want to stay any longer than I had to and I start running. At this point the bats were no longer shy about freaking me out. But, I'm thinking - I'm all alone, so no one has to witness this. Oh My God, one almost touched me, eeegauugh, I let out this awful yelp. But, with the headphones in, I don't have to listen to myself. Now - if a bat comes within a few feet of my head I'm flailing my arms in the air. It is a warning to them, that if they get close enough, they will be smacked. I probably let out a few good yells and I'm now in a dead sprint. Get me out of here! Yikes, ohhh,Cramp, ouch! Oh! Ow! I had to slow down, I'm so out out of shape, I can't even run away from these predators (I know, I know, bats won't do anything to me, but they are still weird, blind, and ugly creatures). So now I'm saying to my self, breath - inhale, 1-2-3-4-5, exhale, 6-7-8-9-10, inhale, 1-2-3... EEEEEEEEK! Bat! RUNNN! So now my imagination, my heart rate, and my adrenaline is all going crazy. I'm officially freaked out AND I think I'm all alone! I'm almost out of this awful bat nightmare... when I see them. The two witnesses of my complete Freak Out! I'm thinking, Oh My God, they saw everything, they heard everything, they are for sure going to ask me "are you alright?" [and not in the concerned tone, but in a are-you-crazy-woman (?) tone] So now, I'm completely embarrassed. I know I was loud enough for them to hear - amidst my psychological break-down, I didn't notice that there were other people on the trail. 


So, instead of just explaining myself. How do I start to? I decided that the best way was to pretend I was just SUPER excited about my hardcore running work-out. I'm not sure if you can picture this and I'm not sure I can describe this. But I'll try. I'm thinking, they just witnessed, for all they know, a crazy person,yelling and waving her hands in the air while sprinting down the trail. To save my dignity (?), my pride (?), I keep running and then just before we pass each other, I slow down - put my hands on my hips, breathing very hard, and pretend that I just ran that whole way at a sprint because I wanted to achieve running greatness. Then, they passed.. I said Hello!! (very exasperatedly and overly excited) and continued walking, like nothing happened. I couldn't help to think that I'm going to be a topic of conversation with their friends. Or maybe, when they get on the phone later that night with family in the States they will tell them all about the girl they encountered while walking Fritz, their dog (yes I named him). So, I look back - and when I thought I was a good distance away - I let out the best laugh I've had in a long time. I wasn't laughing at the situation. I was laughing at myself. It could be the fact that I tried to cover up my fear of bats (which everyone else and maybe you, think is ridiculous). Or I could have been laughing at how silly I must have looked. Whatever is was, it was hilarious. How could I not share this with everyone? 


Does everyone not have a moment in their life when something embarrassing happens and you just pretend like it didn't? Even if it is in public? Gosh, I only had two witnesses (that I know of) and I couldn't even let them think that I knew that they knew what just happened. 


It makes me laugh just to think about it. I guess if you can't laugh at yourself, what can you laugh at? I just pray that the Air Force doesn't monitor the fitness trail and there isn't some video evidence somewhere being watched (and laughed at). Now that I've shared this with everyone, please feel free to laugh at my awkwardness and embarrassment. Oh, and if you feel inclined to share this with other people, go ahead! It is only funny because you know you've been there and done that!!  :) 


-K