I have a story about genuflecting automatically, although not in church. When I was in college, six couples went together to our Hall of Music, which, all those years ago, was billed as the largest amphitheater in the world. We were all dressed “to the nines,” as we hurriedly descended in the vast theater (seating over 6,000) toward our choice seats near the front. I, the only Catholic among 11 Jewish students, led the way through the subdued lighting and hushed, almost reverent “electricity” that permeated the atmosphere, and when the usher motioned with his flashlight, as the lights went even lower, I quickly made the sign of the cross, genuflected, and started down the row of seats, hoping we’d all be seated before the curtain lifted. About halfway to my destination, totally mortified (because I really liked my date), I realized what I’d done and turned around, astonished to see that everyone behind me was also genuflecting! Guess they missed the Sign of the Cross part! Only the very last guy put his hands on his hips as if to say, “What IS this?” It took a long time to live down my embarrassment, but the others all joked about “monkey see, monkey do.” I kept thinking I’d submit the incident to Readers Digest for the prize money, but never got around to doing so. Many years later, I read of a similar incident. Of course, I don’t know if that incident actually occurred, or if it was merely a recounting of our story, but that contributor did receive the prize money for the genuflecting story that I’d always intended to write “some day” for the “Life in These United States” feature. In all honesty, though, I can easily imagine others doing the same thing.
