GET MILK! GET MILK! GET MILK!

Here's today's story:

My International Media group was in the middle of giving a presentation. We were the 7th of 10 to present this evening, so it's actually quite amazing my phone chose the moment my group got up to present to go off.

I thought I'd turned my phone off before class, but obviously I forgot, because just as one of my group members was talking to the class about how much social media is used in Taiwan (the answer is, quite a lot), my phone went off. Of course, it was my most annoying ringtone- the one I set for calendar events. This particular event wasn't even important, it was just a reminder to buy some milk at the Creamery on my way home from class.

As soon as it went off, I suspected my phone was at fault, but I hesitated going all the way to the back of the room when here I was standing at the very front of the room giving a presentation. I settled on hoping A) it was coming from someone else's phone, or B) the sound would turn off after a few rings. After a minute passed and neither happened, I leaned over to my friend Carmen (who was in my group) and whispered, "I think that's mine, but I swear I turned it off."

The whole time, my classmate Sarah was pushing through her shpeal like a trooper, but by the time she finished, I just couldn't take it anymore. Before my third group member could go to her part, I said quickly, "Excuse me, I think that's my phone. I thought I turned it off," ran back and shut it up.

We resumed our presentation after I returned to the front, but THEN, just when it was my turn to give my shpeal about Taiwanese media professionalism (*cough**cough*), my phone went off again. I really thought I'd turned it off, but again, I'd quite obviously failed to do so.

This time I didn't wait for me to finish my shpeal, I went immediately to my phone, made sure I turned it off, and brought it up with me just in case it decided to reincarnate once more. (It didn't dare.)

After the presentation, I apologized to my group members and told them the silliest part was, it was only supposed to remind me to get milk. Carmen walked me to the edge of campus (she was headed to the library) and we talked a bit. Before we parted ways, she called, "Good night! Don't forget your milk!"

I froze. It had been less than five minutes since the end of class, and I'd already forgotten the milk. If Carmen hadn't said that, I would have walked in the door to my apartment only to realize I'd forgotten what I'd just humiliated my group for. (Actually, I think "humiliated" is too strong of a word, but I can't think of any other that means the same thing, just to a lesser degree. Personally, while it was embarrassing in the moment, I think my phone screaming, "GET MILK! GET MILK! GET MILK!" at me twice in the middle of a presentation is kind of funny.)