This weekend, I attended a Table Topic competition at my Toast Masters Club. The table topic is an impromptu speech - for two minutes. The topics are only announced to the speaker on the podium. As I was waiting for my turn, I was nervous - okay super nervous. My mind was racing through thousands of possible topics: Women's Day, world peace, climate change, my favourite food, my last embarrassing moment, my greatest achievement and many more. There were six contestants in another room so we did not hear the topic and speech. The first speaker was called, and the remaining five of us started to express our fear of speech. The second, third and fourth and I was the fifth. When I was called, my heart thundered like a rock band drum solo. I suppressed my fear and got to the stage. The host announced: " Ashok Maharjan, it's okay to make mistakes, It's okay to make mistakes, Ashok Maharjan. " I began: "Contest Chair, fellow Toast Masters and guests, we all learn...
Monologue .......