That night, I could not sleep. The excitement of the coming day was not letting my mind shut down. Sleep was miles away. The whole script was speedily repeated and revised. Even with darkness all around, I was fully alert and could hear my heartbeat and the blood gush. It was a great sensation. Tomorrow, a dream would come true — my first participation in an inter-school debate competition.

I was awake even before the first rays of the sun entered the horizon. I had a disturbed sleep with fabulous dreams of the day ahead. Yet, the wait was still not over. It was still two hours before the alarm would ring! Every minute seemed longer than 60 seconds, inching forward at a snail’s speed. Staring at the clock, that day I realised that the minute dial was slightly fractured. I had never noted it earlier, how dumb I was! It was just the first lesson of the long day that lay ahead.

At 7am I jumped out of my bed and was dressed half an hour before the van came. Energy was shooting from me, I wanted to run here and there. It was a great start!

Fast-forward, I found myself in the auditorium. The debates had started. I was representing my school and could see the principal proudly smiling from the sofa. He was expecting a lot and I was ready to deliver.

Or perhaps that was what I thought. Soon, my turn came and I confidently strode towards the stage as the secretary called my name. That was the best part. Unlike the other participants, I had tackled stage fright quite smartly and was standing with full confidence. The time had come to let the world hear the voice inside me!

I started perfectly. Looking back, I would call it a dream start. The right choice of words, the timed amplitude of voice, the calculated speed — everything was fine. I could see the audience was impressed. More than anything else, a big smile had appeared on the principal’s face. Today, I would win the trophy for him!

Somewhere in the middle, my mind turned blank. Suddenly, the next sentence vanished from my memory. I was not expecting it, but this was not the first time it happened. Quite confidently, I put my hand in my pocket to get the script out, but there was no script!

Panic and pandemonium struck me as I embraced reality. I had forgotten the script at home! Horrified, I began to revise the phrases, but it felt as if the neurological connection in the brain was disrupted! The audience were staring at me. The silence was haunting.

I tried to avoid looking at the faces, but there were so many ‘serpent-like eyes’ looking at me. My voice quavered and sweat beads were rolling down my face. Those 40 seconds were the longest in my life.

Alas, what could I do, other than to conclude my speech in a neutral, shaky voice? I could see my principal was seriously disappointed. But so was I. It was not my fault. Everything had turned against me, suffocating me from the inside. Putting my head down, I moved towards the exit.

Someone tapped and as I looked up. It was the principal, smiling.

He said some golden words that still remain with me: “You can make a blunder and carry it as a burden, or you can set it down and use it as a stepping stone to greatness.”

Now, after ten years,, when I look at the blunder that occurred, I have come to the conclusion that my reaction after it was what mattered the most. Rather than quitting public speaking, I used the event as the beginning of a new chapter. This event had unveiled the talent hidden inside me, and, had the conditions been favourable, I would have won. To myself, I was the winner because I had done my best. And I used that unsuccessful attempt as a stepping stone towards my successful journey as a debater!

Published in Dawn, Young World, July 6th, 2024