When Things Go Wrong

I'll let you guess why weddings and associated disasters were a topic of discussion today in typing class.

First, a disclaimer.  No one mentioned any names in connection with the following stories, and I rather doubt that any one knew any names.  Just so you know that if you experienced or witnessed the events referenced, your anonymity is still intact.  You should also know that sympathy was liberally sprinkled throughout the telling and the hearing of these stories.  A little indignation was present too, but not directed toward anyone who actually was the star of a disaster.

At one wedding, the servers were tightly wedged into a bench, no doubt alternating by gender as is typical, when one young lady fainted.  She may literally not  have been able to breathe.  Who knows?  The young man who was her partner for the day picked her up and carried her to her father and deposited her in his arms.  She was mortified, of course, when she came to and found out what happened.  We all agreed that the young man did the gallant thing, at least up until he dumped her on her unsuspecting father.  And the young lady?  Well, I think she must surely have felt many sympathetic vibrations today.  Seriously awkward was the general consensus.

At another wedding,  during open  mike, no one responded.  After about a ten-minute wait, the couple got up and made a little speech and dismissed everyone.

Here's where the indignation kicked in.  If even freshmen can figure out that if no one else led the way, the best man should have done so, I have a sneaking suspicion that someone in the wedding crowd should have figured it out.  How hard is it to wish the couple a blessing, and to say some kind words?   Why couldn't someone speak, even if they didn't have a clever or dramatic or embarrassing story--which sometimes seem to be the favorite kinds of expression at open mike?  Pride, maybe?  Fear?  No matter how kind the feelings of those in attendance were, by all appearances at that point in the proceedings, it's almost as if the feelings were unkind.  Or is it possible that some other sensibility was present?  An idea of decorum or propriety that did not allow for a hint of levity, or even spontaneity?  Any clues out there?

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Hiromi, who is a bit of a safety freak, suggested I post here a link to a story I first saw on Facebook.  It's a warning about the disastrous results when a child ingests a tiny little button-shaped battery, like the ones found in watches, remote controls, etc.  After Hiromi read the story, he reviewed out loud how this works electro-chemically.  It wasn't pretty.  Basically the battery shorts out in the presence of liquid and begins to overheat, burning whatever it touches.  Somehow acid is released also, if I understood him right. A child's digestive tract can be horrendously damaged in a short time.  One family whose toddler experienced this is making it their mission to warn others.