Rehearsed, Recorded, Re-wrote and Rehearsed again this speech more than 50 times and then I heard those magical words -- "Please welcome Pulkit Gangwal, who will compete in next round of International Speech Contest on April 29th, 2012." I am on my dream run !! :)
Thanks for your support by far, my next speech should be ready by 31st March, please continue adding your valuable feedback and suggestions on this or on future projects. Following is the script of my story which I presented on March 10, 2012. :( I wish they would have recorded it because this was my best speech by far :) My comments/expressions are in red.
Pulkit
August 1991, St. Paul School, <Jumped right into the story> an audition for Parents Day Function Speaker, among first graders is about to begin. In their classroom, Murga voice, Meow, Bow bow Gun - dhiskhiauu, Bomb-boom. <Voices of these !!! -- Got the audience attention> “Silence!” <Extremely Loud - to show anger> The 6-foot, bald Head-teacher enters the class. “You First graders <Pause> are behaving like first graders.<Superb laughter> You fat boy! <Pointed to a fat lady in the audience> Come over and start Audition. This boy nick-named as Too2 came forward for the audition. “Good Morning Teachers, Parents and all my dear friends -- ” <Shaking enormously to show discomfort>
Fellow Toastmasters, Madam Contest Master and most welcomed guests – this was not just a failed audition for Too2, who always wanted to become a good speaker. This was the beginning of his journey of leaving the speeches incomplete, the beginning of his journey of reading the speeches verbatim from the page, the beginning of his journey of participating in all speech contests that he could and never qualify. The journey which continued for 12 years and then he made a decision which all of us make at least once in our lives. He decided that <Pause> he is not going to face it anymore.
February of 2003, teenaged Too2 and his tall dark handsome father were having an after dinner-conversation, on a day before Too2s graduation and farewell from St. Pauls –
<Sat down on a chair> Too2 – “But Dad, we talked about 4 times and I told you that I am not going to give a farewell speech tomorrow. Do you want me to be the guy who started with an incomplete speech and ended with the same?
<Stood up and pushed my spect down such that I have to bend to see people -- Audience loved this body language> Dad - You know Too2, often times we don’t regret what we lost, but we regret when we realize why we lost it? We regret when we realize that we could have made it, only if we would have faced it. We regret when we realize that we could have won the game only if we would have played the game. <Long Pause> If you won’t speak tomorrow, it will not matter to you that you never completed a speech in your school, but then someday you will realize that you never stepped up to complete it, and you will regret it. Prepare the speech Too2. Don’t lose the game without playing. To win, playing is mandatory – so, Just Go and Play the game.” <Pause> Too2 was afraid but he still started writing and practicing for speech next day.
Next day when he reached school, he begged, pleaded and finally convinced the angry bald, head-teacher to give him a chance to deliver a farewell note. He was invited on the stage – <Walked towards the lectern and was shaking like hell> “Will I be able to complete my speech? What was my first line? Shall I read from the notes? No, what will I tell Dad then?” Nervous, but he started speaking, slowly and shaky, then he was calm and confident and finally he delivered the last line of his speech and completed his speech. He made the graduating batch stood up on their feet, applaud and make the same wacky noise which they all were making in the audition room in 1991. <Pause> That day Too2 realized that if you want to win the game, then you have to play the game.
March 10, 2012 - After that day Too2 continued to speak even till today. If he would not have spoken that day, he would not have had the courage to walk the stage and speak and I know this, I know this very clearly and clearer than anyone else because <Paused> because my nickname is <Paused -- many people in the audience said -- Too2 ... and that was the moment I knew that I have done a good job.> 2-2 <I didn't speak just pointed 2 fingers of right hand followed by left hand, the impact was powerful.> Often times we come to a stage in our lives, when we decide that we are not going to face it anymore. Often times we regret not what we have lost, but why we have lost. Often times we lose the game, not because we did not win, but because we have not played. If you don’t play the game, you cannot win. Play the game Fellow Toastmasters, just play the game.
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