Your Grade Isn’t Falling But You Are

(Our German teacher gets creative with our assignments. We need to act out scenes from famous fairy tales. Our group gets assigned Red Riding Hood, with extra credit for costuming. I get a wolf costume nose, and some grey sweats. Our teacher records these skits to show as examples for next year. We have an elaborate scene where I am perched on some desks and then lunge at Red. Take one went great. Here’s how take two goes…)

Teacher: *in German* “And now we have [My Name]’s group presenting. They will be doing Red Riding Hood.”

(The skit goes as planned until I lunge, my shoe gets caught, I trip over the desk, tumble, and face plant into the carpet. The entire class is dying of laughter, the thing is still recording, and I’m stammering out apologies in German.)

Teacher: “Continue!”

(We continue, and I’m mortified. After we’re done recording:)

Student #1: “Frau, was that recording the entire time?”

Teacher: “Yes. And we’re not doing another take.”

(Let’s just say the next year, I got approached several times about my fateful lunge. Apparently it was a great laugh.)