Self-obs, slight mess and a lot of embarrassment

[Shamaël]

Okay, I have to say to someone what happened to me last Wednesday because I still feel mortified about it. I don't have a mental block per se, but I never sneeze in front of my students. And when I say never... I've been teaching for almost 10 years and I've never sneezed in class. Even when I'm sick as a dog and coughing my lungs out, I just can't sneeze in front of children. But... Wednesday morning I was in my classroom during the break at 10:30. I was writing the exercices on the board for my next class and the chalk dust made my nose tickle. I really tried to hold the sneeze back, even if there was no one in the room but me, but it didn't work. I turned my head on my right side and sneezed into my elbow, a very itchy sneeze - Hhhiih'Shhhuh! My nose and mouth were still buried in the crook of my arm when I felt a second sneeze coming, so I didnt move. My sneezes are very rarely wet or messy. Sometimes, when I sneeze into a tissue, there may be some spray, but generally they are dry. I wasn't that lucky this time and just after the second sneeze, which sounded much more like my usual sneezes - Ehhh'ahPTChhuh! - I realised with horror that I had spread mucus al over my sweater sleeve. And that's when, while I was straightening up, I heard two voices behind me, blessing me cheerfully : "A vos souhaits, madame !"...  I turned so quickly I almost gave me a whiplash and I saw two of my pupils who were waiting at the (open) door of my classroom because one of them was on crutches and had arrived before the bell rang. The other was holding her friend's bag. I don't think I have ever blushed as hard as I did this time. I felt completely vulnerable and embarrassed and ashamed. I muttered a "thank you", put off my sweater (fortunately, I was wearing a long-sleeved blouse) and blew my nose - but I remained very, very uncomfortable during the next 2 hours. Most of the times I love having this fetish, but sometimes it really sucks.

[Elektra]

Awww...poor you. That's sweet !=)

[elements]

awww bless you! Just remember sneezing is so normal it probably isn't something they even remember! They're probably prouder of remembering their French to bless you properly!

[Shamaël]

Thanks to both of you for the compassion!!! (And just... well, my students are French, so blessing me in French is quite normal for them...  But you're right, a sneeze from their teacher isn't something they'll remember. I'm just being completely paranoid.)

[timelysmith]

bless you!!  I remember back in high school I used to love when my teachers would sneeze  it was the best, especially if they blew after.  That kills me

 

[Elektra]

On 15/01/2018 at 8:22 PM, Aliena H. said:

And just... well, my students are French, so blessing me in French is quite normal for them...