I had one of the most embarrassing day the other Saturday. When I say the most, it means the most. Here is the story.
I have been in Brisbane for more than two years. A short while ago, my life had a bit change. My boyfriend and I separated. My two house mates, who have been my closest friends, as well as few other friends were all in relationships. I felt left alone, so i decided to go out and meet some new people. I went to a local website xxxx.com where people can join different groups and meet new people. I was depressed coz I just finished a two year long relationship and felt quite left alone in this new country. I was so eager to meet some new people and have some new thing happen in my life. On Wednesday, i couldn’t wait to start. So i went to the website to search events nearby. It’s not as easy as i thought. Popular events are always fully taken. I searched for several hours and haven’t found any suitable one. Finally, there’s one dinner meeting at 6pm on Saturday night and it’s just down the street. It’s a Thai restaurant and 13 people would come. I couldn’t wait to see what would happen. I joined the group and clicked come. Later i booked another event for the second day.
At the period of transition, i didn’t have much mood doing anything else. When you are alone, you have hips of time need to kill. I found shopping online was quite fascinating. Then the left week i was just intoxicated in online shopping, thinking how wonderful i would look when i put those new shoes and clothes on.
Weekend came, when you are alone, weekend is not that lovely and enjoyable as before any more. I got up very late and wandered around the house. Didn’t have mood to do anything actively really. My house mate was with her sweet heart watching tv in the living room, going biking along the river, cooking lovely means at home… While i was crazily shopping online.
In the late afternoon, I did some cooking to kill my afternoon. Then started preparing my meetup group. I was a bit nervous. What would happen in this group? what if everyone think i’m boring? what if no body likes me? While times goes fast, I was nearly late for the meeting and I still haven’t calm down. It’s raining out side. I couldn’t drive, so I got to walk there, which probably would take 15 min. I quickly locked the door and stepped into the dark street. It’s a very familiar street, fairly busy at the end with lots of shops, bars and restaurants. Lots of cars were passing by me. While I was walking, I started thinking about my life in Australia. How could I have lived like this for two years? With not many friends, no family, not much entertainment, what kind of life is that? No answer really. While almost to the end of the street, I suddenly realized I forgot something. Yeah. I didn’t write down the name of the restaurant. I tried to google maps. Too many restaurants here. I got more nervous. I tried to find the notice email from my phone, but as not very familiar with the website, it’s so hard to find it. Damn it. I gonna be late. I found a restaurant looks similar and stopped in front of it, trying to find big group of people. Also I tried again to find the emails. Luckily, found the email. From the email I realized the restaurant I was standing by was the wrong restaurant. What the hell? I got late already. I walked very fast and tried to hurry to the dinner in the right restaurant. Finally, i found the restaurant.
If you think that’s the most embarrassing part, then you are wrong. After I went into the restaurant, then i realized i didn’t record the name of the organizer. The waitressing girl was a nice Thai girl. She asked me who i was with. I couldn’t tell. I looked around the restaurant, there’s no big group table with more than 10 sitters. I tried to remember the name of the organizer. I said: ‘it’s Ca—-ther——rine.’ I elongated the tone and Prayed it’s the right name. She paused. In order to help her to find the right table, i added: 13 people. She checked with her notes and said: “Yes. Catherine, 13 people, starts at 6pm.” I relieved my breath and started thinking how lucky I was. The waitressing girl took me to the table. Surprisingly, there’s no one at the table. I was the first one arrived. I smiled to the waitressing girl and said: “that’s ok. I’ll just wait.”
I sit there for around ten minutes, thinking what those people would look like? Then suddenly, a long troops of nicely dressed girls came in. I sit there and tried to make eye contact with them. Surprisingly they didn’t look me at all. they were talking to each and waiting for the counter to lead them to the table. ‘why they don’t just come to the table directly?’ I was talking to myself.
After they finished talking with the counter for around 15 minutes, they finally walked towards the table. I prepared some simple self introduction, ready to use it. I stood up while they came to the table. Introduced me to the girl:’ Hi, I’m Fey.’ The girl looked at me, seemed a bit confused and said:”Hi, I am Catherine.” All the other girls just walked to their seats and sit down, kept on talking to each other. I was wondering ‘How rude is that? Just because you are nicely dressed pretty girls, then you could treat people like invisible?’ I felt quit upset by their reaction. Then Catherine and four girls got up and said that they got to go to the rest room. I have never met people so rude in Australia. So i tried to have conversation with the other girl named Keily to find out the reason. I said to her:”This is my first time doing this, so i am not sure how you girls usually organize it?” Keily was quite friendly. She stopped playing her phone. Smiled and said that she would have me introduced later when everyone came back. But she then went back to her mobile phone again soon.
Then Catherine and other girls came back from bathroom. They started opening the drink. They poured drinks for each other, but not including me. I felt so neglected. Then I just put my head down and looked at the menu. I felt something was not right. I asked the tall blond girl who sit beside me:” Do you guys know each other for a long time already?” This tall blond girl said:” Yeah, we have been knowing for about ten years.” I was shocked and wondered how come they were still in this meetup if they already knew each other for ten years? That’s not normal for people going to that website. “If they come out to meet new people, why they act like they don’t want to know me then?”I was questioning myself. Then I kept talking to the blond:”I just saw that meetup group, so i just clicked Come.” She looked confused”Sorry. What meetup?” She asked. Then the other girl sit beside added:”Oh, did you find us from the facebook event?” It’s my turn to be confused. Thinking wat facebook? Is that website connected with facebook? I told her:”No, i just clicked come in that website, so I came. You know, that website xxxx.com.” They all looked confused. I screamed out:”oh, my god. I’m in the wrong table.” They all smiled and kept saying it’s ok. What nice people. But what’s the possibility with such coincident: Catherine, 6pm in xxxx restaurant with 13 guests. Besides, there were no other big table with such big group of people. I took my phone out and showed the girl the group information. I asked her:”Do you know any one of these?” She said:”Oh. No. Don’t know any one of them.” I screamed out again:” oh my god. I’m sorry. I am at the wrong table.” They were polite and kept saying I could stay. Some one even used her hand nicely to stop me from leaving. Catherine explained that it’s her birthday and all the girls were her friends that she knew for a long time, but she welcomed me to sit there joining them and they could add one more set. I would stay if i wanted to ruin her birthday party. I thanked everyone and ran out of the restaurant as fast as i could.
It was like a joke happened in my life. How could this be possible? Catherine, 13 guests, xxxx restaurant at 6pm! How could it be wrong? I checked my phone again carefully. Then I found the date for the dinner meeting was NEXT Saturday, not this one! I started to remember those girls’ reaction about my presence. Poor Catherine… I started smile while i was remembering her innocent face trying to explain to me that i may be in the wrong table. And how surprised while they saw me sitting at the table at their first sight. How this coincident thing could have happened. I suddenly started laughing.
Just a short moment later, I realized, that was actually such a good moment in my life. I felt so alive. Before i was just living in the regular life frame that never had mistake, never had real change. Even moving to Australia, I didn’t change my life pattern, and it finally became boring. Before some one asked me what’s the most embarrassing moment in my life, i actually couldn’t think of any. Because I didn’t have any. Coz i always lived in my regular comfy zone and never stepped out to the wild life. Now i find it’s so good to have such an awkward moment like that in my life.