***EMBARRASSED***

Have you ever been shy in doing something? You can’t do anything because of this. But in other aspects, the word “HIYA” or meaning being shy can also mean embarrassment.
HIYA is the Filipino feeling of inadequacy to face up to something that involves other people who, he thinks, expect much from him. The English equivalent is “embarrassment,” or possibly “timidity,” “modesty,” or “ shyness,” depending on the situation.
Let me share you a story about two guys and their experience to see how a person gets embarrassed.
Spencer and his next-door neighbor, Francis, were invited to Louise’s 18th birthday party held at an expensive hotel. Being new to the neighborhood, they had no friends yet except the beautiful debutante, who lived three houses away. She was also a premed student like them and shared the same hobbies-spelunking and stargazing.
Spencer’s eyes stared at the grand edifice and the interior decoration. He ogled at the delicacies set on the center table. He cast sly glances at guests who were too formally dressed and very influential. The expensive chinaware were too delicate to touch. If he broke one he knew he’d be broke for some months.
When Louise’s father stood up and announced that food was to be served, Spencer’s heart began to race. “What’s the first thing to pick up?” he whispered to Francis.
“Let’s just observe what the well-dressed, high-profile guests to do and follow suit,” Francis whispered back The meal went on smoothly.
“Spencer, there are lot of foods at the center table!” Francis whispered to him.Just look at the spaghetti, rainbow roll with tuna and salmon, fried chicken, biko, mangoes, chocolate cake, and ube-macapuno ice cream. You like them, don’t you?” Yes,” stammered Spencer.
Let’s go get mangoes on the center table, Spencer,” suggested Francis. “I won’t miss this very delicious fruit for the whole world.”
“ But I fell out of place. I’d dare not to stand up and have more than a hundred pairs of eyes following my every move,” Spencer muttered under his breath.
“ You’re just too shy, Spencer,” consoled Francis.” Look, the people are too busy talking to each other. I even think they didn’t know we existed.”
“I know,” Spencer whispered back.” But what if I step on somebody’s foot, or worse, drop my mango and it would roll under the table?”
“ Oh, Spencer, you’re getting paranoid. You will never enjoy this party with such thoughts.” He then patted Spencer’s back and told him to relax. After a while, he said, “ let’s go. I am sure nothing would happen within that short distance.
Side by side they went to the table, got a piece each, and enjoyed the luscious fruit.
Out of the corner eye, Spencer saw the humbug who tripped him in the university hallway and poked fun at him for being a promdi. The boy approached the center table and began heaping his plate with food, unmindful of the guests’ stares. With a swagger that suggested he was used to getting his own way, he went back to his place and gobbled up his food. Then he returned for a second serving. As he twirled around to head back to his place, his left foot stepped on a small puddle of spilled juice on the floor. His feet wobbled. His arms flailed in the air. His plate shot up like an inflated parachute. His glass followed and, with an amateur gracefulness, crashed beside the plate.
Everyone stopped what they were doing and stared at the unpracticed piece of acrobat. The boy, now lying on his back, blushed like an ember. Then with a self-conscious smile he sat up, and hurriedly left the room. Spencer and Francis looked at each other, suppressed a smile, and continued eating.
If you were the one’s embarrassed, what will you do? Will you run away and get mad at yourself or just feel nothing happened?