My Epic Fail at Making Tea

Welcome Everyone!

This is my first post on The Narrow Shoulder and I am both excited and nervous to share with you my story. I suppose the biggest question is which story should I tell you first? I suppose I’ll start with something short and sweet. I’ll call it.. My Epic Fail at Making Tea.

I hate to admit it, but like everyone, I have some pretty large gaps in my knowledge and I am not always the best at keeping them hidden. In the Fall of 2013, I was sitting with a group of people at a restaurant. It was later in the evening and everyone was ordering some late night appetizers and drinks. I was a new addition to the group, so I was trying my best to make a good impression. However, I was secretly on a diet which made the environment of social snacking a bit stressful. I opted to order a tea. “Classy” I thought, feeling proud that I had not given into temptation and had managed to keep face in front of my new friends.

All was well until the orders came. I was a little surprised when the waiter placed in front of me a small personal teapot with a cute little plate and a teacup by its side. I had been expecting a mug with some hot water and a teabag. To be honest, I had never actually poured tea before. I picked up the teapot and started to pour the hot beverage as carefully as possible. Perhaps too carefully, because instead of the tea pouring into my cup, it dripped down the front spout and all over the table, making a mess and causing everyone to jump back to avoid being burned. It was so embarrassing! I laughed with everyone as we mopped up the tea with little napkins.

My cup was only about a third full but I sipped on it anyway to keep casual. Unfortunately, it didn’t take long before my cup was empty again and I needed a refill. This time, I was determined not to spill. I picked up the teapot in my right hand and my cup in the other. I pressed the cup right up against the spout, and I started to pour, more quickly this time. I watched as the hot tea jumped over the cup and land directly on my hand. “Ouch!” yelped, dropping the cup. Tea splashed all over the table. Everyone ran to my aid again, mopping up the tea and asking if I was okay. I tried to laugh and dismiss their concerns. They were such kind people. But now I looked down at my cup and there was even less tea than before. Actually, there was more tea in my plate then there was in my cup. I chuckled as I imagined myself sipping tea from my plate. I knew I was going to have to try again. But I had lost all my confidence in my tea-pouring skills. Suddenly, a great idea came to me.

“Julie-Anne, can you please pour my tea for me?” I asked politely to the girl beside me.  She laughed (perhaps with some pity) and took my teapot and easily filled my cup, not spilling a drop.

Finally the ordeal was over and I had some tea. I sat quietly and began to drink my tea and listen to the conversation at the table. After a while, Matt, the guy on my left leaned over towards me. “Hey, isn’t this teabag supposed to be in the water?” he asked as he picked up a tea bag on the side of my plate. Oh my gosh, I had been drinking hot water the entire time. In my embarrassment, a giggle escaped from my lips, followed by a stream of uncontrollable laughter. I laughed so long and so loud that people in the restaurant turned their heads to look over at our table.

When I had finally suppressed my laughter, I tried one last time to regain any dignity I had left. I straighten my posture and picked up my teabag. It was still in its package so I took the corner of the paper packaging and ripped it open. I pulled on the string to reveal the tea bag inside. Suddenly, something like confetti flew into the air, landing all over the table and on people’s plates. I was shocked and confused. What had just happened? I looked down at my hands. I had ripped the tea bag open with its packaging and had thrown tea leafs everywhere. I burst out laughing a second time. I laughed so hard I fell off my chair and onto the floor. I could hear others laughing with me. I opened my eyes to see Julie-Anne and Matt looking down at me, tears in their eyes as they laughed at my own misfortune. This truly was the most epic fail at making tea.

Luckily enough, Matt, Julie-Anne, and everyone at that table are still my friends to this day. That’s what friends do. They accept you as you are, even when you embarrass them in public. I am so thankful for them all.