Those Moments When I Left My Brain At Home

When I was younger my mom used to point out that women tend to lose memory once they've undergone childbirth. Giving birth not only takes a toll on a woman's body but she may also lose some of her brain cells in the process. I never gave much thought about that theory before because I didn't think it would affect me much. I assumed it was just her excuse to justify her frequent memory lapses.

However, after experiencing a few post-baby embarrassing moments myself, I now think there might be some truth to it. I recall a few embarrassing incidents that befell me which left a  what-is-she-thinking-is-she-nuts question from whoever were unfortunate enough to witness. For some inexplicable reason I inadvertently left my brain at home on those few occasions.

Only yesterday, blissfully unaware that anything was amiss I strolled blithely in Mya's school compound while waiting to pick her up after school. Smiling at some of the other parents I even walked past them as I made my way to the school corridor. It was only upon reaching home that I knew all was not well when I was about to open the door to our house. That was when Mya, chuckling loudly, piped up behind me, "Mama you got your shirt on backwards!"

That of course wasn't the first time such a thing happened. I vividly remember ten years earlier, when my eldest was still a toddler I had been laughed at by a shoe store owner for walking into her store in two totally mismatched sandals.  On my left foot was an oversized white rubber slippers (at least 2 sizes bigger than my size 7) while on the right foot was a branded size 7 brown flat sandal. And to think I had been walking comfortably in them for a full 10 minutes before I actually realised my outlandish mistake! By the way, I made a stop at the shoe store in the first place to get myself a new pair of sandals so that I wouldn't be the subject of any more ridicule or curious stares. Even as I left the store in my new perfectly matching sandals the store owner was still laughing at me shaking her head in disbelief.

After such mortifying episode you'd think I'd gained some important lesson, right? But no. One day back from work I decided to drive to a provision store while still in my office attire. What I didn't realize as I got into my car was that I had absentmindedly taken off my shoes and left them on the parking lot instead of bringing them with me into the car. That explains why as I wanted to get out I had no shoes to wear except for hubby's over-sized and hideous chunky contractor boots that were always stashed under the passenger seat. In a dilemma I weighed my options then of whether to walk to the shop barefooted or in the BIG ugly boots. At last swallowing my pride and not willing to waste anymore time I chose the latter. With fake confidence, I strode into the store and went straight for the the items that I'd intended to buy. Refusing to acknowledge any raised eyebrows directed my way, I quickly paid for my purchases and trudged as fast as I could in those horrible boots to my waiting car. Thanks to that incident my image as a stylish career woman was briefly tarnished.

Actually those are only just a few of the many more instances of what happened when I left my brain at home. Experiences that made me feel like an utter fool.

As a consolation though, I know for a fact that I'm not the only who's predisposed to making such faux pax. I had one time encountered a lady on a bus wearing her baju kurung inside out while on the way to work. Guess, just like me she was just having one of those days when she accidentally left her brain at home.