Uninvited - The Story Pt 6

BM: Throughout the early performances I was consistently impressed by her many talents. Music, literature and science... she was clearly in a league for beyond mine but that didn't stop me from trying. It's strange though... I can't quite recall any of the performances that day.

BM: After the performances the elocution contest began and my turn came up quickly. Panic set in as I was confronted by unfamiliar grounds and a hallful of talent. I lost control of my arms and they were flailing all over the place in a pathetic attempt to add emphasis to my words. I looked like a bloody windmill. It was only a small blessing that I still managed to deliver my speech properly.

BM: She, however, was as professional as she was on our first meeting. I could have sworn she was even better than she had ever been and the crowd must have thought the same. Once more she flawlessly played the audience like a musical isntrument and it was obvious the competition was hers.
BM: I felt hesitant to approach her after. I hadn't done very well, although my English teacher felt that given the amount of time I had been given it was indeed a valiant effort. Realising that this would be truly my last chance, I steeled myself and congratulated her and bade her farewell. For my efforts, I was rewarded with her phone number and acknowledgement. Things definitely looked better, this time...

(To be continued...)

Valentines '06 Special

Hey, you all! Happy Valentine's Day. It's a late update, I know, but I thought I'd do something bold this particular day. I've been ruminating on what exactly to draw, taking into consideration my lack of style and experience. Well, I've decided to go onto something rather sad as this has been my experience with Valentine's days all my life. Unrequited, forgotten and despised...

I beg that you forgive the roughness of the work. I didn't spend enough time on it and rushed through the last bits while complaining about the materials I had and their limitations. I really need to learn how to clean things up and stop taking the easy way out sometime.

Anyway, I guess it's back to ol' Charlie Brown to keep me company on this day. Every year, he's been there to comfort me.

Uninvited - The Story Pt 5

BM: The competition was held at a different school, one far bigger and more impressive than mine. I was gawking like a slack-jawed yokel while inside I was fighting to suppress the nervousness that threatened to come up.


BM: The hall where the competition was being held was large and intimidating. It was buzzing with the participants, judges and students forced into providing entertainment prior to, and after, the main event. Everybody was getting prepared and the prospects didn't look very good for me. I was sweating as I gazed at the talent all around me when...

BM: ... all of a sudden I spotted her within the crowd. I can't remember exactly how I felt at that moment but I imagine all that pent-up nervousness just decided to mutate and explode right at that moment into a mixture of fear, confusion and perhaps a tint of longing and gratitude.

BM: This was beyond a coincidence, and if it was indeed divine providence then I would be a greater fool to ignore it. Making my way towards her I fumbled a greeting and hoped that I wasn't nailing my coffin shut. With a nervous grin I stood there for a few seconds while she tried to recall who I was... and was instantly relieved when she at last recalled our last meeting, if not my name. I had a leg to stand on, at least, and it was far from the worst scenario I imagined.

(To be continued...)

Uninvited - The Story Pt 4

BM: There was to be a 2-man elocution contest at another school. My seniors were supposed to participate, but one couldn't make it. This forced the English teacher to turn to the debate team for help. The others were hesitant, but being the attention-hog I am I accepted.

BM: It was a pretty last-minute thing so I didn't have much time to prepare. I hastily wrote a short essay on some trivial topic I found in the news and taking themes from previous presentations I had done. It wasn't very well researched and I was hoping that my delivery would be sufficient to pull me through, so I knew I had to work on that.
BM: I didn't have any coaching on how to handle elocution contests, and I had not done anything of the sort outside of my school. I really did not know what to expect, although I really didn't have much time to worry about this. I had to make do with the little time I had as well as the audience I had to put up with...

(To be continued...)