We are seated at a table at Panera. A moment ago, she accidentally lifted her plate off the table and then dropped it. It made a noise, and she audibly reacted. That is no surprise. These kinds of things happen regularly when she heard a sudden noise. In this case, I said, “This time you scared yourself.” She answered, “Not scared. Startled. There is a difference you know. (Pause.) I am a former English teacher.” She smiled.
