A Funny Story...Or There Went My Self-Esteem

Back in September a co-worker of mine was leaving the company so my team decided to take her out for lunch to say goodbye. Being the nice people we are, we let her choose where she would like to go and she chose Cafe Rio.

**Side Note: I prefer Costa Vida, but I like Cafe Rio just fine. This will come up again.**

When we walked into Cafe Rio there was a huge table full of HOT Firemen/EMTs. I immediately started telling myself that I looked attractive and that they would all be clamoring for my phone number by the end of lunch despite the fact that I had slept a little too long that morning and had pulled my wet hair back into a ponytail. (Not only is that not my most spectacular look, but my hair has just enough natural curl to make it air-dry really weird which it had. But at least I had on makeup!)

Trying to appear confident and beautiful, I approached the counter and placed my order with the nice, helpful boy. Then I moved down the line a little and while I was waiting for my turn to tell the girl what I wanted with my burrito I started chatting with my friend Jolee. Soon I heard the lady behind the counter say "Excuse me, Sir. What did you have?" I looked up at her to see that she was looking expectantly at me. I looked around. There were no men in the line at all. My brain was so busy trying to figure out what was happening that I forgot what I had ordered and stammered "Oh....ummm...I had a burrito." After I had spoken, I could see that the lady felt a little embarrassed. But only after I had spoken!!! I turned to Jolee and asked if the lady had really just called me Sir. Jolee kind of giggled and answered that yes, she had in fact called me Sir.

I didn't want the poor employee to feel bad, so I whipped around the other way as I started laughing uncontrollably not only at the humor of the moment, but also out of complete mortification. My good luck continued as my 180 degree spin had me facing the afore mentioned table of attractive men. Now, if you know me at all, you know that every time I laugh (and this is not an exaggeration) I cry. The harder I laugh, the more tears fall. Since I was laughing so hard tears were literally streaming down my face.

I was just starting to get myself back under control when my friend Kristin leaned toward me and said "You're the [darnedest] man I ever saw!" Well that was the end of what little dignity I had mustered. I continued laughing/crying throughout the process of finishing my order and paying for my food. I'm pretty sure that 75% of the conversation at lunch was dedicated to making jokes about my looking so manly, etc.

That lunch was good for A LOT of laughs, but it was also pretty rough on the old self-image. Now when I wear my hair back, I try to incorporate flowers, or fancy twists, etc. to make it as obvious as possible that I am a female. And I've also pledged my undying devotion to Costa Vida. Where they've always noticed that I am a woman.