Open mouth, insert foot.

Mom, Ev, and I were finally making it through a gate at the Air Force base when the guy said, "What day is it?"

This was our second trip to base because the first time (when we were a block away) I realized I didn't have my ID. I was so hungry I thought my stomach was eating itself and when I get too hungry, I can be kind of bear-ish.

Before we went through the gate we were talking about renewing her guest passes; the USMC pass needs to be renewed by the 30th but the AFB pass doesn't have to be renewed until the 5th. So the 5th was in my mind...after getting some grub in my tummy, of course.

I hand the man my ID as well as Mom's passport and pass, continuing a conversation with my Mom after I say hello. It is after he had the pass a few seconds when he asks what day it is.

I turn my head, not paying attention to what he is looking at, and say (in a kind-of snippy tone), "It isn't the fifth of July!" I thought we were going to get grief about her pass.

He just kind of looks at me like, "Uhh what?" and then says something about it nearly being the 28th and wished me a happy birthday.

I felt like the size of an ant and tried to explain my response, apologizing along the way. I took our stuff and continued through the gate but felt so bad. I ruminated on it all throughout lunch.

So this is my public apology to the poor guy at the gate that got snapped at: I am sorry. Thank you for the birthday wish.




Here are two scenes from our birthdays last year. The top was on Z's birthday at SeaWorld in San Diego and the bottom was mine at the zoo.