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My Memory of a Memorable Incident



My Sports’ Day Speech

Right from my childhood, I have been an introvert, always engrossed in either reading or writing. I have had sparks and gusts of stage fear several times in my life- but, honestly speaking, I like facing an audience (though it sometimes gives me the creeps!).
Every year, in our school, we have a ‘Sports Day’. When I was in Sr. Kg, I was given an opportunity to speak on this day, in front of quite an audience. I had been rehearsing for this event for over a week and yet there were several pronunciation errors in my speech.

I was nervous. This would be the first time I had ever addressed an audience. It was ten in the morning- the sun was shining furiously on my face, radiant with gusto. I had put on a pouting expression to show my fuming self to everyone around me. I was constantly battling the sun, and at the same time mentally rehearsing my speech, as my teacher escorted me to the centre of the sports field. Mine was the replica of the face of a grumpy grandpa woken up from his slumber. I was dressed in a yellow shirt and black shorts- our sports uniform.

The commentary from a small shamiana at one corner of the field had started by announcing that I would be inviting the audience, on behalf of the Principal and the staff to the Annual Pre-Primary Sports Day of 2009. Then it began (on a prod from my teacher!). I began to blurt out, in my ‘five-year-old-child’ voice, whatever I had mugged up.
However, I messed up the beginning, where I ended up pronouncing the ‘a’ of ‘parents’ and ‘grandparents’ a little too much on the consonant side. The rest of the speech, as far as I can remember, was okay.

When my eyes pass over my memory my face on that day, a smile withers across my lips. I consider this speech an amusing and memorable incident.

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