of milkshakes and vigils and laughs on the metro

Last night Meg and I went to get milkshakes after our weekly vigil with 40 Days for Life.

First, a little clarification. The last time I wrote about my pro-life activism, in the post linked to above, I described it as difficult and draining. I would like to state for the record that, this time around, it's anything but. Six of my friends - three girls and three guys - have signed up for the same time slot with me and we have so. much. fun. Yes, we pray a rosary every week, and we hold signs ("Choose Life!" and "Women Deserve Better"). But we also catch up with each other and have interesting conversations with passersby. This year, with a larger group, it's a lot less scary and a lot more fun.

Anyway, so yesterday being my saint's day, Meg and I decided to get milkshakes after our vigil. She moved last month, and as we took the metro to her new neighborhood, she was all excited to show me her new apartment.

The metro was still pretty crowded at 7:30 p.m. but we managed to get seats next to each other. As the train began slowing down before her stop, Meg stood up and walked towards the doors. I, on the other hand, stayed put.

"Come on Tess," she said. "This is my stop."

"I know," I said. "But I always wait until the metro car stops moving before I get up."

A few people in the metro car gave me funny looks, so I quickly added an explanation.

"I have really poor balance," I said.

Everyone in the metro car started laughing. And I began laughing too as the silliness of what I had just said hit me.

One guy said, "You and me both!" as the train stopped and I finally stood up and walked off the metro.

Meg and I laughed all the way up the escalator. I can't remember the last time I belly-laughed like that. It was perfect.

When I told Frank about the incident later, he laughed and said, "I would have given anything to be there!"

So now I'm sharing my silly story with you, in the hopes that it will make you laugh too.