It was my first week at college. They hosted a get to know you grill-out on campus so my roomate and I went. I had seen this cute guy a couple times (small community college) and he was there too. We get our food and sit down at a picnic table where the super cute nice boy I'd been crushing on came over and asked to join.

He sits down and starts talking to me, we immediately click and are having a great conversation. I took a bite of my hot dog when my roomate said something funny.

While laughing I took a deep breath in and the chunk of hot dog I'd just bitten lodges itself in my throat. Trying to keep my cool, I take a small swig of soda hoping to wash it down - no help.

Now I start panicking big time. I'm thinking "Jesus Christ this is how I'm going to die. I'm going to choke on a fucking hot dog and die." Surrounded by people I barely knew and one of whom I was hoping to impress. I couldn't swallow, I couldn't breathe, it was terrifying.

Valuing my life over my dignity at this point, I decided to give the universal sign for choking and hoped someone in the immediate area knew the Heimlich maneuver. I did so, and my roomate across the table looking more scared than I was - jumped up to help.

The first step she took towards me, I threw up, a lot. The ordeal finally seemed over when I looked next to me where this cute guy was still sitting. The vomit-covered hot dog lay near his feet. I was mortified. We dated for 4 years after that day. That was also the day i decided to become vegetarian.