My Letter A

Most high school students get their school letter through sports. I was so shy and timid, I never considered trying out for athletic activities. The girls' basketball team would have tramped all over me like a herd of elephants, I was so small and unnoticeable. So I found my outlet through reading, public speaking and dramatics.

Why would you take up public speaking, you ask, if you were so shy? It's because, when you memorize a speech or part in a play you assume the identity of another person and you hide yourself behind that persona. You become that other person! In doing so, you become free of your inhibitions, and you get a sense of power.

In the first contest I entered, my selection was titled "The Blessed Damosel," a monologue supposedly by Joan of Arc, a real sob story for the Ages. It was a real tear-jerker. After I had it memorized, I practiced "emoting." During the actual contest (in which I had the final spot), I laid the pathos on thick. I was surprised, halfway through, to see women wiping away actual tears with their handkerchiefs. I could hardly believe my speech was having this response. I had repeated the speech so often in practice, I had lost all connection with the content. I found this extremely funny, and while I was waxing eloquently about the horror of being burned at the stake, I was laughing to myself about the reaction I was getting.

I was stunned to receive First Prize!