Waving at the Wrong Person: My Cringe Moment

Calabar is a place where you think everyone knows everybody, well at least I think. This day stands out so clearly in my mind that I giggle (and cringe a little) every time it passes through my mind.

It was the sort of sunny afternoon, busy way. I was running around running errands, feeling pretty good about me. I’d even worn a slightly snazzier-than-usual outfit and had done something lovely with my hair.

Going down Marian Road, there is plenty of foot traffic. On either side are shops and people hawking everything from fruit to used clothes. I slung my bag on my shoulder, a smile on my face and a skip in my step.

To my surprise I saw an old friend in the the distance. Same height, same hair, same look of dress. My heart gave a little jump, for it was ages since we had seen one another.

Of course, I didn’t even think, I just raised my arm high and beginning waving like it was a parade float. Hey!! Long time! I shouted, huge grin over my entire face.

People turned to look. Even street vendors paused. This was no subtle greeting I was putting on a whole performance.

Except the person didn’t wave back.

Instead, they looked around, confused, then directly at me. That was the moment my brain caught up. Their face was all wrong. I’d never even seen them in my life.

Some made that polite, stiff nod that people can give when they don’t know what’s happening but don’t want to offend, other gigged. And here I was, arm suspended in the air, smile perishing on my face.

I tried to style it out by pretending to scratch my head, then adjusted my bag as if I had never waved at all. But the damage was done. Two market women nearby were chuckling.

I was really embarrassed and wanted a hole in the ground to open and suck me in. I fast-walked every inch of the remainder of the street, staring at nothing, at no one.

I kept going over it in my mind all day after. Did I really have to get that dramatic? Why Why didn’t I wait for them to get closer? Why did I have to yell?

But it’s funny now, looking back. I later told my siblings and they had laughter riding down their mouth, they were laughing so hard. Only you! they said, shaking their heads.

Good reminder not to jump to conclusions. Because someone may look like a friend, that doesn’t make them one. I learned to pause for a second, to read and then call their name, maybe, before throwing my arms around them.

Sincerely, Calabar has given me loads of fun but this one will always be in the Top 10 of the Most embarrassing moments of my life. But, hey, at least it left me with one joke to tell, and I tell it to this day.

_Note
_{AI-Free Content}
_{Thank you for reading and commenting. Until next time 💐}
_{Images used are mine.}