It was bound to happen sometime.
You know that dream where you accidentally show up somewhere and you realize you are naked, or in your pajamas...or teaching your first period class in your biking clothes?

I bike to work. I shower and do my hair and make up before I leave the house since I don't get sweaty or disheveled in the short 3 mile ride. I just carry a back pack with a change of clothes and hop into my work clothes right before classes start. Today I was running a bit late (does it still count as running late if it happens 3 times out of 5?) and went to change just five minutes before class started. Dug into my backpack and pulled out my earrings, necklace, dress shoes, and....*GASP!* Where is my dress?! Dug around frantically. Nothing.
Called Rob to the rescue (my one stroke of luck in this mess - he hadn't left for work yet), but realized that I would have to teach my first period class as is. Nothing says "classy" like a gold necklace, long gold earrings, and workout clothes. Do I compliment the outfit by wearing my cycling shoes (too hard to walk), socks (too trashy), or my dress shoes (just right!)?

I explained the embarrassment to my class, figuring we'd all get a good laugh out of it. But you know the quiet class - where you could bring in an entire circus and it would still be hard to pull a laugh out of them? - yeah, that is this one. A few smiled politely. And even worse, there was a big traffic back up and so half of them were late and never even got to hear my explanation for my sweet outfit.

I darted out of the room as soon as I heard my phone ring (without answering), only to find that Rob was not in the parking lot and had only called to tell me he was stuck in traffic. Great. Went back to class. Finished more of the lesson. Darted back out again upon the next call. Finally got my dress. Came back to class and held it up like a prized trophy and exclaimed my joy! Again, no outburst of amused cheering and/or laughter I was hoping for from my students. Maybe they don't know that they can laugh at me yet. That being able to laugh at myself is the only way I can get by in life, and if others aren't willing to laugh along with me, I start to feel a little worried. Gulp. In my anxiety, I proceded to make silly mistakes with my work on the board.

Then, to rub salt in the wound, in walked the Dean of Admissions and about ten prospective parents into my classroom. Seriously! The school hosts tours for families who are applying for Potomac School, and at any point during the year, one of these tour groups can just randomly pop up at any moment in your classroom to observe. OF COURSE! I couldn't expect anything less. Mind you, I am not teaching at any old school. We have a very strict dress code (disciplinary notices are sent out if they so much as allow their collared shirt to come untucked) and cater to the most elite families who can afford to pay more in a single year of tuition for their child than I spent on my entire college years plus grad school combined. And in they walked in their fancy suits and business dresses, while I was teaching in my biking clothes.
At least I had on dress shoes.