a walk down memory lane

well many of you have not heard the story of me passing out in a walmart - so i thought i would entertain you with a re-telling.

it was spring break of 2002. my dear friend nicole and i were out in bakersfield, california staying with her family. we went to the beach, the movies, ate out at some amazing mexican restaurants and relaxed by the pool. the break was going very well. we were even expecting a brief visit from our crazy guy friends who were driving to california from indiana for their spring break (one of which was my future husband - he has his own stories to tell from that spring break).

until... i think it was a sunday. we went to church and on the way we stopped by starbucks. i believe i got a grande non-fat latte, my standard starbucks drink at the time. i may or may not have gotten anything to eat. i probably just had a piece of toast or something small before we left the house. during church i began to get horrible cramps. i knew that if i didn't get some pain medicine in me soon it was not going to be a pleasant day. and on the way home we stopped at walmart (for some other necessary items). and on the way to walmart i took a few pain pills... (note to self: not a good decision to take pain pills on an almost empty stomach).

we quickly found the necessary items and headed to the check out. as we approached the check-out i began to feel a little light headed. and i remember thinking... something doesn't feel right... i also remember looking over at the gum and candy to try to distract myself from the dizziness i was beginning to experience and i remember beginning to black out. and poor nico - probably got very little warning. for the next thing i know i am on the ground in the check-out line. (i think she caught me to help break my fall, what a good friend!)

and walmart employees are surrounding us asking all kinds of questions - mainly answered by nicole, who i believe is near tears (or at least in a state of freaking out) -

"are you pregnant?" (nicole answers - no)

"have you girls been drinkin?" (nicole answers - no, we have just been to church)

"are you her mother? (addressing nicole)" (nicole answers - no...!)

somehow in the midst of this craziness nicole or i - i don't really remember - pay for the items we came in for - or who knows maybe they gave them to us for free because of the scene... and for some reason we were also able to escape. i think the walmart employees were happy to not have to call 911 or didn't think of it fast enough or were simply too stunned that someone who hadn't been drinking, wasn't pregnant and wasn't with her mother could pass out in the check-out line.

nicole draped my arm across her shoulders and helped walk me to the door. where her sister kristin was waiting with the car - apparently i went down and kristin sprang into action and ran to get the car. so nico helped me into the car and i think i barely made it home. because unfortunately when i do pass out the aftermath isn't pretty either - usually involving getting sick and needing to stay in bed for the rest of the day (which unfortunately both occurred on this occasion). i think i actually might have gotten sick in the car... again the memory is a bit fuzzy here.

needless to say i think that if our friendship wasn't already solidified for life after a semester of being together in israel - walmart sealed the deal for nicole and i. such a good friend. something i think we both will never forget. lessons learned: do not take pain pills on an empty stomach, it is always important to remember that i have a sensitive body and can pass out easily, and always be with a dear friend in walmart just in case.