the first time i remember being embarrassed was when i was five years old. it was the summer before kindergarten, and my mom and i went into school for an introduction and sign-up session they called "kindergarten round-up." mom was off registering me for school, while i sat playing and eating cookies at a little table. distracted by a puzzle, i accidentally tried to bite into one of the puzzle pieces instead of the cookie, and then glanced quickly around to see who had witnessed this act of stupidity.