My walk of shame story goes like this:
I'm riding my single speed commuter one day when the chain breaks (I'd removed a link and must've not gotten it back together properly - my fault). I'm about 15 miles from home and have no tools appropriate to attempt the repair so I call my wife to come get me. I hate being in a position of having to wait for my wife (as she's one of these people who's always late for everything) but I saw no choice. I describe to my wife where I am and how to get there and I wait. I position the back of my bike facing the traffic lane she should've been traveling on with my 3 watt Magicshine tailight blinking away so she could see me. An hour plus goes by, still not there. I call her - she can't find me but claims she rode down the street I sent her to "twice". Starts arguing with me when I try to figure out where she is and how she might've missed the street. States she'll drive down it "again". 20 minutes later, still no sign of herr. Call her again - she's furuious (and in all fairness, I am too) and screaming at me that I'm not where I keep telling her I am. I can't figure out where she is because by this time, civility has gone out the window. I finally tell her to forget it - I'll walk home (never occurred to me to take public transportation). By now, I've regressed to the maturity level of a 5 year old. I'm imagining myself straggling in after 11 PM, blisters on my feet, bike cleats worn to a nub.... (picture little Ralphie's, from "A Christmas Story", gone blind fantasy) .... making her feel unbearably guilty over the situation. Ha, another hard fought victory (hey, it's my fantasy!). Anyway, she comes up behind me about a 1/2 block up the road (driving in the opposite direction she should've had she been following my directions). I guess I wasn't too committed to my cause as I get into the car with her. Though still boiling, I keep my mouth shut - the kids were in the car - thank God. This truly was a shameful moment - luckily our marriage survived.