Maybe you have that horrible memory tucked away. It's that time you threw up in public and barely just got over it now that you're an adult. Lo and behold, now you have children and they're here to remind you, throwing up in public sucks.
My memory of throwing up in public was as a little girl. It must have been winter because I was bundled up. We were at a pizza shop in my hometown. I can tell it's a little girl memory because the amount of puke I recall throwing up is completely and totally impossible. As I recall, it was a massive flood of throw up, luckily all over a wood floor (now that I'm an adult I can appreciate the fact that it wasn't carpeted).
Poor Joshua threw up at a parade. We just didn't see it coming... well except for the fact that he was very sleepy and said he had a belly ache. I just thought he didn't like the parade. But no, it was an actual stomach bug. In our defence, we were preparing to leave, but then he seemed to be happy again. He said he wasn't afraid of the parade anymore and squirmed to get out of the stroller. I sat him down on the curb and immediately knew I had misinterpreted his eagerness to get out. I cleaned up the street as best as I could as Bill tended to our poor misunderstood sweetie behind the crowd and lights. As I carried Joshua (wrapped in a blanket) to the car, I couldn't help but feel just miserable for the little guy. The loud honking, bright lights, blaring music and not to mention the crowds. Plus we weren't exactly close to home and we were facing some serious traffic.
You think I would have learned from my experience as a mom before Joshua came along. We did have Liam after all. I don't recall many specific throw up incidents but neither Bill or I will ever forget the time we took hm out to eat at a decent family restaurant. Seriously, we barely ever left the house and we just wanted a sense of normalcy out to eat with our small family of three. We will never quite know if Liam threw up because he hated the mashed potatoes we fed him or if he now hates mashed potatoes because they made him throw up. But what we do know (in retrospect) is that we should have listened when we put the spoonful in front of him and he shook his head no. We should have listened.
Now I have seen worse cases. After teaching for several years some of the names and faces are starting to blur together. I don't remember which of my boy students was the one to throw up in the garbage can, but I certainly do distinctly remember the face & name of the girl who threw up in her desk (yes, in her desk).
I suppose on the bright side is that now my boys know a little bit better. They know perhaps to face away from the crowd, or under the table. The other bright side is that both incidents occurred before they really knew any better to be embarrassed, unlike a poor 4th Grader . Perhaps the incidents won't scar them for life. On the other hand... I still shudder when I'm back home passing by that pizza shop and Liam still hates mashed potatoes. I wonder what Joshua will say next time we ask him if he wants to go see a parade...
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