Victory Formation

As I write this, I'm coming down from a tremendous high. I should set the stage. I've been in a humorous speech contest for the Toastmasters organization for the last few months. It began with the contest of my own club, progressing to larger and larger contests encompassing more clubs. I had been used to winning in my own club and being defeated in the next round or the round after that. It was to be different this time.

My speech, which was meant to satirize the predatory efforts of those in the entertainment industry to purport to have it in their power to make stars of anyone who takes their seminar, won in my club, and then in the area contest. It subsequently won in the division contest, bringing me to the point of being one more victory away from going as far as you can go with a humorous speech. That would be the district level.

This contest, which I reached for the first time, was this time around held at the Castaway restaurant high in the hills of Burbank. There was an impressive view of the valley below, and I regret not having taken the opportunity to admire it more. I was rather in the grips of nerves, and then later I was brooding over imagined missteps after I had given my speech. Later still I was distracted for another reason.

You may well guess that I would not be writing about the matter if I had lost. To do so would be perverse for sure. I did indeed win, although not without difficulty. There were multiple speakers among my four rivals who I feared would defeat me, and my imagination ran rampant along those lines in the lengthy period of time in between my speech and the awarding. I think they deliberately draw that out of of some sadism.

After celebrating with a cocktail, it was time for a lot of handshakes, happy chatting and photographs. I really was beside myself with happiness, but I don't know that I gave off that impression to the extent that I felt it. Maybe it was as much a great relief as happiness, for the process is a taxing one. In any case, my self-esteem is to be buoyed by the event for a good period of time. It may be as much as a day or two!