After Tennis

[RonR]

Anne let out a dramatic sigh, still crestfallen over the state of her once-perfect sneakers. She stared at her mud-caked Tretorns sitting in the corner, looking nothing like the pristine white shoes she had laced up with such enthusiasm that morning.

“It’s not fair…,” Anne groaned, flopping back onto her bed. “My Tretorns were brand new. I hadn’t even broken them in yet. They didn’t deserve to be ruined in... that.” Her voice was a mix of frustration and a hint of genuine mourning for her beloved shoes.

Jenna, still sounding far too amused from the earlier conversation, chuckled softly. "Aw, poor Tretorns. They died much too soon." She was clearly having too much fun with Anne’s misfortune.

Anne huffed, feeling indignant. "I’m serious, Jenna. I had plans for them—tennis practices, brunch outings, maybe even a trip to the beach. They were supposed to be my go-to summer shoes. And now? They’re ruined. Just… caked in mud like some forgotten garden tool!"

There was a pause on the other end of the phone, and Jenna’s tone shifted slightly more thoughtful. “Alright then… what was your first actual thought when you saw the big mud puddle? When Beth led you back there? Were you concerned at all about being that close to it, or were you just still so amused at her mess? Be honest.”

Anne squeezed her eyes shut, replaying the scene in her mind, the damp dirt trail, the teasing remarks she had dished out to Beth, the glimmer of pride she had felt in her squeaky-clean outfit as they approached the offending mud puddle.

A small, reluctant smile tugged at the corner of her lips, though she refused to let Jenna hear it.

“Okay, fine…,” Anne admitted slowly, “I was definitely still amused. I mean, honestly, Beth was a wreck. She looked like she had crawled up from the bottom of some swamp. Plus, at that point, I didn’t think anything would happen to me. That was... ridiculous to consider, right?"

"Oh no," Jenna cut in, laughing, "you were fully in 'smug mode,’ weren't you? I would’ve been in the ‘I’m too perfect for disaster’ headspace too if I were in your shoes. Pun intended."

"Exactly!" Anne said, louder than she intended. "I was completely confident! I mean, I was just going to see the puddle, snap some funny photos, and go back to the courts. I figured, ‘Okay, maybe Beth can’t navigate a trail without falling over, but I definitely can.’"

"And then," Jenna interjected with a knowing, smug tone herself, "the fates stepped in. Because they’d just had it with your superior attitude."

Anne groaned. "Ugh, yeah… well, clearly. Hindsight, right? If I were worried at all about the mud at that moment, it was only because I thought about how ridiculous it was that it even existed directly in the middle of a trail like that. There was no way I was thinking about the fact that I, too, could end up as part of the mess. Stupidly, I just—puffed myself up instead, thinking I’d remain untouchable."

Jenna cackled on the other end. "Oh my God, Anne! I can just see it. Your nose in the air, your perfect white Tretorns, and you’re circling the puddle like a detective, all while poor Beth is probably just sitting there, thinking, ‘Don’t do it, Anne.’ You were begging for it, honestly. What did you even think was going to happen as you pranced around the mud like a peacock?"

Anne sighed dramatically. "Alright, yes, I was being a bit of a peacock. Look, I know! But I swear, I really thought I was in control." She paused for a moment, reliving those final moments before disaster struck. "Honestly, truth be told… I was just fully absorbed in how hilarious Beth’s situation was. I didn’t even pause to consider what that puddle was capable of. It was as if I assumed the laws of nature wouldn’t apply to me."

There was a snort from Jenna, clearly enjoying this more and more. "Anne, the laws of nature are unforgiving—especially to people like you. You know what they say: pride comes before a... mud bath."

Anne exhaled loudly, but her smile had now fully spread across her face, realizing how ridiculous it all sounded. "Yeah, well, the fates or the universe or whatever really had fun with me today, I guess. The worst part? The instant I slipped and hit the ground my first thought wasn’t even 'Ow' or 'What just happened?' or 'Help.' No. Jenna, the first thing that crossed my mind was ‘MY DURING-$100 TRETORNS!’ I swear, I thought I would cry right then and there!"

Jenna nearly spat out her drink from laughter again, clutching her sides. "Oh Anne, only you. Of all the things you could have been worried about after falling face-first into a mud pit, your shoes took priority over your own survival... Yep, that’s my sister."

When I saw the puddle, I thought how disgusting and I could see where Beth was struggling to stand up. I got those pictures and with the puddle behind me turned to Beth with another joke and was modeling my pretty white tennies and taking a step back to hold my foot out and flexing my toes I tripped on that darn root. What do you think I was thinking as I was laughing and modeling and then when I was sitting in the mud?

 

[FeedBot]

When I saw the puddle, I thought how disgusting and I could see where Beth was struggling to stand up. I got those pictures and with the puddle behind me turned to Beth with another joke and was modeling my pretty white tennies and taking a step back to hold my foot out and flexing my toes I tripped on that darn root. What do you think I was thinking as I was laughing and modeling and then when I was sitting in the mud?

Jenna couldn’t hold back the laughter as Anne filled in the missing details of her disastrous fall into the mud. The image of Anne, so proud, laughing and posing in front of the "scene of the crime," only to end up becoming its next victim, was pure comedic gold.

"Let me get this straight," Jenna started, barely able to keep her voice steady, "you were literally standing there, modeling your pristine, untouched white Tretorns—the shoes you’d been bragging about, while Beth was still muddy and trying to get herself together. And then, you took a step back and… BOOM. Oh, Anne, this just keeps getting better."

"Ugh, don’t remind me...," Anne muttered, though a tiny smile curled at the corner of her lips. "It all happened so fast, but at the same time, I can still picture every second!" She paused for a moment, rolling her eyes as she mentally replayed that ill-fated moment. "Okay, so... there I am, laughing and cracking some joke to Beth, thinking how ridiculous SHE looked all covered in mud. And I’m standing there, showing off my shoes—trying to be cute—feeling invincible. And then, all of a sudden, whoop—I step right back onto that stupid root.”

Jenna was practically in tears at this point, but she managed to ask through her giggles, "What were you thinking while you were posing? Were you thinking you looked fabulous, or were you just hoping you wouldn’t get splashed by mud or something?"

"Oh, I was feeling fabulous," Anne admitted, feeling her cheeks flush again with embarrassment—though this time it was tinged with amusement. "I mean, I was flexing my toes, for crying out loud! I thought I looked so cute. The white sneakers, crisp, pristine, like a picture in a magazine... everything was perfect, Jenna. I honestly thought to myself, ‘There’s no way something like that could happen to me. Not me. I’m just here having a little fun, right?’"

Jenna burst into full-on laughter. "Oh my God! This is every person’s downfall, isn’t it? The second you think you’re too perfect for the universe to mess with, it comes for you with a vengeance."

"Yeah, well, it definitely came for me," Anne sighed, now laughing along with her sister. "One moment, I’m showing off my shoes like I’m in some kind of sportswear commercial, and the next? I’m airborne. My arms are flailing, and then... SPLAT." She mimicked the motion of an exaggerated fall with her hands, only adding to Jenna’s amusement.

"So," Jenna managed to get out between her giggles, "what went through your head the moment you hit the ground? Were you still having a good time—you know, until it sunk in? Or did the horror hit right away?"

"Oh, let me tell you, the horror hit immediately, Jenna," Anne groaned, running her hand through her hair as the memory of that cold, slimy mud clinging to her body resurfaced. "The second I felt that disgusting squelch of mud ALL over me, I realized I was done for. And the worst part? My Tretorns! Oh God, seeing them half-submerged in that filthy brown muck... that was the first thing I thought about when I looked down. I didn’t even care that I was sitting in the mud. It was like, ‘Not my shoes!!’”

Jenna howled with laughter. "Of course! Of course your first thought was your shoes! Oh, Anne, you are such a disaster in the best way possible. You slipped backwards into the mud like you were a character in an old slapstick comedy scene—and instead of worrying about yourself, you grieved for your Tretorns like they were some priceless artifact."

"I wasn’t thinking logically!" Anne protested, though now she couldn’t stop herself from laughing too. "Everything happened so fast! There I was, just a second before, so confident. And then I was wallowing in the mud like Beth. My amazing entrance turned into the worst exit in history! And poor Beth? She was beside herself laughing—she didn’t even help! She just stared while I sat there, covered head to toe, in complete and utter shock."

"Can you blame her?" Jenna teased, barely able to breathe through her laughter. "If I had been Beth, I would’ve been rolling in the mud next to you from laughing so hard. You were just so sure of yourself and your cute Tretorns—until, of course, nature reminded you who was really in charge."

"So that’s what you think I was thinking, huh?" Anne said, trying to reign in her own laughter. "My shoes?"

"Oh, absolutely," Jenna replied confidently. "I would’ve given anything to see your face when you realized what had happened. I can just picture it—a perfect mixture of disbelief and fury, all because your pretty Tretorns were no longer pristine. You wouldn’t have even cared about yourself at first—you were mourning your shoes like they died a tragic, undeserved death."

Anne sighed deeply, though the grin on her face betrayed her real feelings. "Yeah... you’re right. I really did think about my shoes first. I mean, Jenna—THEY WERE BRAND NEW! They didn’t deserve that! I didn’t deserve that!"

Jenna’s laughter finally began to wind down as she caught her breath. "Well, sis, life’s not always fair. But at least this whole thing has given me the best story to tell—for probably the rest of my life, by the way. Oh, and as for your Tretorns…" Jenna paused, clearly smirking across the line.

"Yeah?" Anne asked cautiously.

"Maybe next time, skip the flexing and just stick to walking."

 

[RonR]

Jenna couldn’t hold back the laughter as Anne filled in the missing details of her disastrous fall into the mud. The image of Anne, so proud, laughing and posing in front of the "scene of the crime," only to end up becoming its next victim, was pure comedic gold.

"Let me get this straight," Jenna started, barely able to keep her voice steady, "you were literally standing there, modeling your pristine, untouched white Tretorns—the shoes you’d been bragging about, while Beth was still muddy and trying to get herself together. And then, you took a step back and… BOOM. Oh, Anne, this just keeps getting better."

"Ugh, don’t remind me...," Anne muttered, though a tiny smile curled at the corner of her lips. "It all happened so fast, but at the same time, I can still picture every second!" She paused for a moment, rolling her eyes as she mentally replayed that ill-fated moment. "Okay, so... there I am, laughing and cracking some joke to Beth, thinking how ridiculous SHE looked all covered in mud. And I’m standing there, showing off my shoes—trying to be cute—feeling invincible. And then, all of a sudden, whoop—I step right back onto that stupid root.”

Jenna was practically in tears at this point, but she managed to ask through her giggles, "What were you thinking while you were posing? Were you thinking you looked fabulous, or were you just hoping you wouldn’t get splashed by mud or something?"

"Oh, I was feeling fabulous," Anne admitted, feeling her cheeks flush again with embarrassment—though this time it was tinged with amusement. "I mean, I was flexing my toes, for crying out loud! I thought I looked so cute. The white sneakers, crisp, pristine, like a picture in a magazine... everything was perfect, Jenna. I honestly thought to myself, ‘There’s no way something like that could happen to me. Not me. I’m just here having a little fun, right?’"

Jenna burst into full-on laughter. "Oh my God! This is every person’s downfall, isn’t it? The second you think you’re too perfect for the universe to mess with, it comes for you with a vengeance."

"Yeah, well, it definitely came for me," Anne sighed, now laughing along with her sister. "One moment, I’m showing off my shoes like I’m in some kind of sportswear commercial, and the next? I’m airborne. My arms are flailing, and then... SPLAT." She mimicked the motion of an exaggerated fall with her hands, only adding to Jenna’s amusement.

"So," Jenna managed to get out between her giggles, "what went through your head the moment you hit the ground? Were you still having a good time—you know, until it sunk in? Or did the horror hit right away?"

"Oh, let me tell you, the horror hit immediately, Jenna," Anne groaned, running her hand through her hair as the memory of that cold, slimy mud clinging to her body resurfaced. "The second I felt that disgusting squelch of mud ALL over me, I realized I was done for. And the worst part? My Tretorns! Oh God, seeing them half-submerged in that filthy brown muck... that was the first thing I thought about when I looked down. I didn’t even care that I was sitting in the mud. It was like, ‘Not my shoes!!’”

Jenna howled with laughter. "Of course! Of course your first thought was your shoes! Oh, Anne, you are such a disaster in the best way possible. You slipped backwards into the mud like you were a character in an old slapstick comedy scene—and instead of worrying about yourself, you grieved for your Tretorns like they were some priceless artifact."

"I wasn’t thinking logically!" Anne protested, though now she couldn’t stop herself from laughing too. "Everything happened so fast! There I was, just a second before, so confident. And then I was wallowing in the mud like Beth. My amazing entrance turned into the worst exit in history! And poor Beth? She was beside herself laughing—she didn’t even help! She just stared while I sat there, covered head to toe, in complete and utter shock."

"Can you blame her?" Jenna teased, barely able to breathe through her laughter. "If I had been Beth, I would’ve been rolling in the mud next to you from laughing so hard. You were just so sure of yourself and your cute Tretorns—until, of course, nature reminded you who was really in charge."

"So that’s what you think I was thinking, huh?" Anne said, trying to reign in her own laughter. "My shoes?"

"Oh, absolutely," Jenna replied confidently. "I would’ve given anything to see your face when you realized what had happened. I can just picture it—a perfect mixture of disbelief and fury, all because your pretty Tretorns were no longer pristine. You wouldn’t have even cared about yourself at first—you were mourning your shoes like they died a tragic, undeserved death."

Anne sighed deeply, though the grin on her face betrayed her real feelings. "Yeah... you’re right. I really did think about my shoes first. I mean, Jenna—THEY WERE BRAND NEW! They didn’t deserve that! I didn’t deserve that!"

Jenna’s laughter finally began to wind down as she caught her breath. "Well, sis, life’s not always fair. But at least this whole thing has given me the best story to tell—for probably the rest of my life, by the way. Oh, and as for your Tretorns…" Jenna paused, clearly smirking across the line.

"Yeah?" Anne asked cautiously.

"Maybe next time, skip the flexing and just stick to walking."

Have you seen a nicely dressed woman fall in the mud when she didn’t want to in a movie or on television? What was she wearing and how did it happen?

 

[FeedBot]

Have you seen a nicely dressed woman fall in the mud when she didn’t want to in a movie or on television? What was she wearing and how did it happen?

Jenna chuckled after Anne’s question, clearly already thinking back to one of the countless slapstick moments she loved in movies and TV. She could practically see Anne’s curiosity through the phone. "Oh, sure, definitely. There’s actually quite a few great scenes like that. Let me paint you a picture or two!"

Jenna cleared her throat, taking on an almost “serious movie critic” tone.

"Okay, so one that always comes to mind is from the movie Legally Blonde. Remember that scene where Elle Woods—looking totally perfect in head-to-toe designer pink suits—is making her way through Harvard Law School? Now, Elle doesn't exactly fall into mud, but the moment captures a similar vibe. She’s so glamorous, like the way you look when you’re flaunting those perfect new shoes—hair bouncing, designer bag in hand. She’s walking into a world that’s totally drab compared to her—people in grays and bland tones—and she looks absolutely out of place. It’s supposed to show how other people think she doesn’t 'belong.' She’s not falling into a mud puddle, but she’s definitely walking into a metaphorical one. You were Elle Woods today, Anne, walking headfirst into disaster without even knowing!"

Anne laughed, appreciating where Jenna was leading the story, but it wasn’t quite a literal fall.

Jenna continued. "But for an actual mud fall? Oh, oh, do you remember the scene from Bridget Jones’s Diary? Now that is a classic mud disaster."

Anne perked up. "Wait, you’re talking about when Bridget is at that ridiculous outdoor fire-safety event or whatever, right?"

"Yes!" Jenna lit up with enthusiasm. "So, she’s dressed in this cute, outfit—like, she’s wearing a cream-colored ensemble, naturally—thinking she’s just casually going to stroll through this work event. It’s early in the movie, and as always with Bridget, she’s trying so hard to be proper and competent, but of course, chaos inevitably finds her. She’s about to do this fireman’s pole demonstration because she’s trying to impress everyone, y’know?"

"Oh God, I can already see where this is going," Anne muttered, grinning despite herself.

"Exactly," Jenna continued, the grin evident in her voice. "So Bridget gives it a go, but of course, it all goes wrong. She loses her footing, and BAM—down she goes into this massive muddy pit at the bottom of the slide! It’s all slow-motion perfection, too—she’s flailing around, arms desperate to grab onto something, face frozen in horror. But by the time she’s done, she’s just covered in thick, dripping mud. Her face, her hair, her clothes—it’s everywhere, and the camera catches her in humiliating full detail. You can just see her mind thinking, ‘Why? Why is this happening to me?’ while everyone’s gawking at her."

Anne groaned with sympathy, though she couldn’t suppress a giggle. "Oh no… totally sounds like what happened to me today. Sorry, Bridget, I guess I know the feeling now."

"Yep. Bridget went from looking bright and hopeful to looking like she should’ve been in survival training. I swear, all her confidence just drained away with that extra layer of mud! And honestly? It makes her fall that much funnier because she always has these high hopes of being elegant, but then—bam, slapstick reality hits her hard."

Anne nodded, allowing herself to see the parallel. "Y’know, I wasn't sliding into mud at high velocity, but wow, it sure felt like my ‘perfect moment’ did a total 180 just like that."

"Exactly," Jenna teased, "You and Bridget today, both trying to hold onto that last shred of elegance, until the universe was like, ‘Nope, not today!’"

Jenna thought for a moment, then chimed in. "Oh, there’s another great scene—Miss Congeniality. Remember that? She’s not in mud as much as struggling in water, but it’s Sandra Bullock, dressed up in full FBI gear, trying to maintain her cool during a pageant, and of course, she ends up falling face-first into some water during a self-defense demo gone wrong."

"Oh, I love that scene," Anne piped up, laughing at the memory. "She’s splashing around in the water like a fish out of its bowl, but she still at least tries to act cool… like I did—well, until I realized how hopeless my shoes were."

"Right! The best part was Sandra Bullock’s face—it’s that deadpan look of horror in the midst of the chaos. You can see her trying to salvage some dignity but knowing the catastrophe is too far gone. Like, ‘How did I end up here again?’ A lot like the expression you must have worn while sitting in that mud today."

Anne nodded ruefully. "Okay, okay. Fair point. I guess life imitates art. I was basically the star of my own unintentional rom-com slapstick disaster today."

"Yep, and just like those characters, the best part is? You survive it, laugh it off, and—if you’re lucky—you’ll end up looking back at this as one of the funniest moments ever."

"Maybe in a rom-com I’d at least have gotten the cute guy at the end of it," Anne quipped. "But if I write any songs about today, it’s going to be an ode to my fallen Tretorns. They really didn’t deserve this... just like Bridget’s cream-colored outfit didn’t deserve that mud pit!"

Jenna burst into laughter again. "Face it, Anne, you’re one ‘mud fall’ away from cinematic glory."