My Speech - The Third Year Chronicles #13

I didn't think much about one of our senior's absence at club on Thursday. Her nonattendance wouldn't directly affect me. Only it did.

Every week at club, between speech and debate, we have what's called the IF Moment (IF standing for Invictus Fides). It consists of parents/coaches and older students giving a devotional/message thing to the rest of the club. This last week, the aforementioned senior was supposed to give said devotional. However, she got sick and her attendance would've risked spreading the illness.

As extemp dismissed for the IF moment, Mrs. H commented that she didn't have someone for the IF moment. Apparently, in the seconds that followed, I lost all ability to think before I spoke. Now, even if I had thought about it, I probably still would've responded the same way. But the words kind of just came out of my mouth unimpeded.

"I can give my speech."

I had finished memorizing the OO I wrote in August not 24 hours prior to the club meeting. (Yes, it took me three months to memorize a ten minute speech.) When I wrote the speech, I thought that it would be a good speech to give as the IF moment, I just hadn't gathered the courage to ask if I could do it.

So when the opportunity arose, I took it. Then I freaked out because there's like a hundred people in our club and I memorized my speech literally the before. I sat down in the front row as Mrs. Martin made announcements. My parli partner criticized me jokingly for having my script with me for back up.

My hands shook as Mrs. Martin called me up. I stared back at the crowd of IF-ers and I gave my speech. Then I went to debate and everything was normal.

Anyway I'm going to go freak out about the tournament this weekend. You should vote affirmative.

(This post is part of a series called The Third Year Chronicles. Click here for TTYC #12)