cute_spider

cute_spider wrote (edited )

Reply to comment by cute_spider in how to have the most stressful and awkward dinner party imaginable by hollyhoppet

Bob now realizes that he's spiraling again. A lifetime of experience tells Bob that this is an internal reaction, not an external situation. A short meditation helps Bob remember that these are his friends, and not his judges, and that's not okay to be "on" 100% of the time. Bob takes a moment to relax each muscle in his body, starting from his head, traveling down his shoulders and arms, through his back, and finally his arms, legs, hands and feet, fingers and toes. He gently rubs the grease from the olives on his fingertips with his correctly placed lap-napkin. Lapkin. Bob takes a few more moments to listen to his body, and he realizes he is very thirsty! With all the concern about what other people are thinking, Bob realizes that he hasn't drunk any water in hours! Bob takes a generous gulp, takes a few quiet but deep sighs, and feels immensely better. After this short reset, Bob is relaxed, casual, and in good spirits.

Bob decides not to try to force the Lapkin portmanteau at the table.

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cute_spider wrote

Reply to how to have the most stressful and awkward dinner party imaginable by hollyhoppet

Bob has now used all ten fingers to eat the olive. Bob notices that none of the other guests are correcting his error. A simple admonishment would allow Bob to chuckle and release his embarrassment and stress, but nobody will give him the relief. As Bob's stress builds, so does the frequency and magnitude of his errors. Bob is now falling apart at the seams as sweat pours out of every pore on his body. The other guests simmer with loathing toward Bob.

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