January 11, 2005

I laughed

As a grown man, I feel qualified to speak on this topic, after much deep thought and years of experience: The older you get, the more immune from embarassment you become.

I'll be 53 years old next month and it takes a lot to embarrass ME anymore. I've been there and done that too many times. I figure that after you suffer abject humiliation over and over for years and years, the impact kinda wears off after a while.

Once, a pimple on your forehead sent you into a trauma. Now, if you shit your pants while wearing a tuxedo, it ain't no big deal. It's a perspective thing.

On Sunday, I watched a kid on the street doing stunts on a bicycle. He was about 15 years old and he was pretty damn good with that bike. He did wheelstands, rolls and acrobatics. I was impressed watching him.

Then, all of a sudden, he got tangled in the middle of a trick and busted his ass in the street. I mean a NICE 'UN, too, where the bike came down on top of him and helped eat him up. I saw it happen and I thought that the kid might be hurt badly. I ran to check him out.

But I have to admit--- I laughed when he wrecked. Seeing the little show-off bite the asphalt the way he did was FUNNY, even if he WAS hurt. It was a glorious pratfall and I appreciated it.

The boy was okay--- just EMBARRASSED that someone witnessed his crash. He wasn't hurt, but he was HUMILIATED. He rode away on his bike and never looked back at me. He was not accustomed to being embarrassed. I chuckled again as I watched him pedal down the road.

If that's the most embarrassing thing that ever happens to him, he can count himself a lucky man.