Thirty & Over

I was in Langkawi, and a friend of a friend was having her birthday lunch at The Bayview Hotel. It is a high end hotel, and she was intending for it to be a classy event. To ensure she kept it classy, she placed an age requirement on all guests of thirty and over. She extended the invitation to me as well, and confirmed with me, "you're thirty, right"? I felt as if this age limit was conjured up specifically for me and my youthful appearance. If I told her the truth of how I was only twenty nine, I didn't really know if she would revoke my invitation. I had to claim that I was indeed thirty years old, and although this wasn't yet true, I felt that I was mentally mature enough for this event.

We got to the event, and it was a very nice place. We were brought to our table, and asked what we'll have to drink. We all said we would have green tea, except for the one fella', who was actually twenty nine as well, claiming he will get an iced lemon tea. I would never have made such a juvenile order because I was in deep secrecy of my age. He, however, was the owner of the coffee shop we all knew each other from, so he was allowed to be twenty nine.

Our green tea arrived, and I was quite looking forward to it. The lazy susan spun around to me and I poured my tea. I was feeling like I was sophisticated enough for this event, and didn't feel out of place at all. I grabbed my cup of tea, and for some reason forgot how hot freshly boiled water is. Without sipping at all, I took a large mouthful of tea. I realized right away that this tea was one hundred degrees Celsius, and without even thinking about, I just opened my mouth.

After I opened my mouth, the tea poured out onto my lap. I looked around at everyone else at the table, and no one was looking at me. My shorts absorbed the tea, and my mouth felt fine. I would love to have witnessed what had happened. Seeing myself, or anyone, just open their mouth after taking a drink is something I have never seen.

I was the only one at the table who got to laugh about what had happened, and it was a good thing that I was, because it would have really justified the age limit given. It showed that maybe in fact I was too young for this classy hotel luncheon, and that maybe something changes after thirty. Maybe people stop making silly mistakes such as that one, like drinking freshly boiled water. The truth is, though, now being thirty two years old, I make equivalent, if not exceedingly foolish mistakes.