Un-Proud Moments in St. Louis History

The first time someone invited me to their home after we moved here I was in such a funk that my conversation was bleak to say the least.  This wonderfully hospitable woman invited me and my children into her home, fed us and tried desperately to have a nice conversation with me, but I was not capable of reciprocating.  Here's some of the highlights;

Nice Lady- Do you like to travel?

April- Um, yeah, if I can sleep while someone else drives.

Nice Lady- If you could travel anywhere, where would you go?

Now let's pause for a moment in this conversation to do some 'splainin'.  We had been living in the moldy basement of Clay's grandmother's home for a month or more, we were in the process of buying a house "as is" which is the nice way to say "it'll never pass an inspection" and we were broke.  I couldn't think about traveling farther than the next tank of gas so any visions of world travel were not on my radar.  I couldn't even be bothered to pause and dream a little.  So my answer was....

Uhhhh, Chicago I guess.

Chicago?  That's where I would go?  Chicago?!  I've been to Chicago, a few times.  Oh, if I could take that moment back I would.  I'd have been happy, perky, winsome and I would have said Europe!  For the love of God I want to go to Europe!  Not Chicago!

Then after eating lunch and watching the children play for a little while it was time for me to go.  I watched as she set her toddler down, the same toddler I had watched play earlier with my children and I asked, "Oh, is he walking?"  Uh, yes he had been walking all over the place the entire time I was there.  I tell ya, I was checked out.  The bad thing is those are the parts I remember, who knows what other dribble came leaking out of me.  

Our little playtime ended with her spraying Febreze in the trunk of my car because I had complained about the wretched smell of some spilled milk.  You know the old saying 'don't cry over spilled milk', well I think I was doing plenty of crying-whining-complainig and all around negative vomiting all over everything.  I wish she would have sprayed me too.  She never invited me over again and I don't blame her.  

I've wanted to apologize for that day for many years, but I think the damage was done.  So now if she reads this blog, which I don't think she does....but in the off chance....I'm sorry I was such a negative piece of poop when you first met me.  Thank you for inviting me over and feeding me a wonderful bowl of soup, which you didn't know and of course I didn't tell you, is my favorite food.  I did learn something that day and I've tried to use it a couple times, hospitality to a stranger.  Hopefully, I'll get to use it again real soon.