Let me wipe that off for you

Wednesday 9th March, 2011, a date that is etched into my mind, and will remain so forever.
Why?
I'll tell you.
I was in town on the above day, with Sam, just window shopping and looking at stuff we wanted but couldn't afford, when we spotted a friends mum walking towards us. Shes a lovely women, really warm and genuinely friendly, the sort of person you would hate to offend, and boy did I hate offending her, enter me, stage left.
I noticed, as we got closer, that she had a blemish, dirt, filth, stain, a large black mark on her forehead.
How embarrassing I thought, it was a busy day in town and I do try to look out for people I care about.
Hi, I said, with a warm smile, you've got some black stuff on your face, just there, I made a gesture towards the said blemish.
Yes, she said, its Ash Wednesday.
As she said this, the mark seemed to take shape, bloody hell, its a cross I thought. I then remembered that she is a practising catholic, and that this is what some of them do at this time, draw a cross from ash on their foreheads.
I looked again, just to make sure, yep, definitely a cross, how could I be so stupid. I dared not catch her eye again, I just mumbled my goodbyes, head down and away. I looked at Sam when we was a few yards away and that was it, she had tears streaming down her face, and trying to catch her breath through the laughter, I was still absolutely mortified, I couldn't say anything, why didn't I just keep my gob shut?
All I can say is that I am glad I never had a handkerchief with me as I still remember the times my mum would lick hers and wipe dirt from around my face, nasty.
It still gets a mention every now and again, especially a week or so ago, when Ash Wednesday once more came around.
I never went to town then.
I have seen her since, and yes she does still speak, like I said, she is a lovely person.