Spinach In My Teeth

I am always grateful when someone has the courage to tell me that something is amiss.

Strangers face an unknown response when they decide to speak to someone. It's even more difficult to tell a stranger about a problem.

I was walking back to my car today along a narrow path from the gym. I passed another woman who was walking slower. I was still revved up from the workout. As I passed her, the woman said, "have a nice day". I turned back, smiled, thanked her and wished her a nice weekend.

This must have given her the courage to continue. "Can I fix your sweater, your tag is up in the back," she said. "Oh, thank you" I said after she tucked it in. The last thing I want is to be walking around confidently, feeling well-dressed, even cute, when everyone can see my tag sticking up at my neckline.

I am reminded of a dinner a few weeks ago with my husband and friends. When I got home and was washing my face and brushing my teeth I found a decent-sized piece of lettuce (roquette to be exact) on the gum line of one of my front teeth. I asked my husband if he had seen it during dinner and he admitted he had and didn't know how or what to say in a situation with others. So, I wore the greenery all night, smiling and happy, unaware of the ugly thing hanging from my teeth.

But, I'm chicken too. Several times I've been in situations where a man's fly was down. Usually it's in France, which makes it even harder. What is the word for zipper? Is sign language (point at the person's crotch) weird? Yes, of course it is. So, unless it's someone I know really well, I say nothing. The poor soul walks around all day with his fly open.

The moment of realization, whether it's spinach or the open zipper is always awful. How long have I been like this? Who's seen me? Why didn't anyone say anything?

I think the woman's approach today was perfect. She made social contact and waited to see the result. Positive result, next step is tell the person about the problem, negative result, let the person burn in embarassment.