Summary:
My first impromptu speaking contest. Can you think on your feet? Neither can I. Video at the bottom.
“It usually takes more than three weeks to prepare a good impromptu speech” said Mark Twain.
I was given about 10 seconds of preparation time before I had to talk about "Love" in our Toastmasters Table Topics Contest.
She just swooped in out of nowhere — like a female Zorro — and cleaned up the joint.
I wasn’t in the room when she delivered her winning speech, but she reads The Economist so I guess she’s pretty good.
This was my first Toastmasters contest. The way it works is that me and the other contestants are invited, one at a time, into the room to speak.
Before we’re called to enter, we wait together on some couches in the childrens’ section of the library. My fellow contestants engage in what appears to be encouraging and friendly small talk with me.
But I’m not falling for that, because these are seasoned veterans whom I know are just trying to psych me out.
When I’m called to enter the room, the Contest Chair announces my name and then gives me my topic to speak about. Tonight, the topic is simply:
Love. Love love love.
Then by the time I walk from the back of the room to the front, I have to start talking and the clock starts ticking. I must speak for at least 1 minute and 30 seconds but no longer than 2 minutes and 30 seconds.
I don’t know if my speech would have made Mark Twain proud1, but I did get a few (pity) laughs, anyway:
Have you competed in an impromptu speaking contest? Please tell me that you were able to think of something better to talk about than feet.
- Unlikely. [↩]
