Awash in the foam of stuff

Take a trip with me.

"There was no helping it. I had to to think on my feet. There were dozens of people looking at me with expectation and there was no way of skirting my way around a response. I looked straight ahead and proclaimed firmly "Four".

Bang.

The moment was over. Everyone seemed to sigh with relief and turned their attention elsewhere."

Everyone has been thrust into a situation like this. Without warning, you are placed into an unwelcome and unexpected white hot spotlight of attention and you do not know what or how the hell you came to be there. The most vivid memory for me would probably back in school, consciousness a hair's breadth above sleeping and suddenly my name is called (loudly):

"N?".
(snapping out my reverie) "Yes?"
"What do you make of the issue posed?"
This is where the motor has to really fire up, there is a lot on the line (or is there?).
Attempting to not appear lost, an answer starts forming as my brain replays the errant bits of sentences captured in the last fifteen minutes. A couple of thoughts start forming and appear to be salient. Here comes the gamble, "The engineer should have recognized the outliers prior to entering the next phase of development. Clearly, at fault for the outcome."
Breathless silence. Actually holding my breath.
"Good. Let's move on."
Big exhale. Adrenaline pumping me up as I break into a cold sweat.

Did I pull off some amazing feat of near real-time recall while dozing? Should I work at continuing my latent talent?

No.

I should pay frickin' attention....