| General Fiction posted April 14, 2024 |
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In hindsight this was my biggest fear
Silence Please!
by Claire Tennant
I have had a few fears in my life, most of which I have either controlled or grown out of. Yet when I think back, the thought of speaking to strangers or making pleasant conversation gnawed at me. The jaws were sharp, and the pain involved was excruciating. Now at a ripe old age, I believe it may have stemmed from the era when children should be seen and not heard. My dear dad often said that I was the perfect child when we visited friends.
"She's such a good little girl, isn't she!"
If these dear old ladies with their gorgeous china cups and yummy scones and cakes really knew! Then there was always the other aspect, Mum's look of disapproval if I chattered too much.
It gnawed at me nonetheless. Shyness could be interpreted as disdain, a hoity-toity attitude, but never to those supposedly in the know, a fear of talking.
My brother joined that wonderful organisation called Toastmasters International. He was always a wee bit of an actor so seeing him succeed I thought 'Good on Him.' until one day one of the ladies asked:
"When are you joining us, love?"
My eyes conveyed my thoughts
"Not Pygmalion likely!"
I thought about it again. I discussed it with my brother. He did some research into other Toastmasters clubs so that we would have breathing space where I would join. I visited another such organisation and found them too controlling. I bit the bullet.
The gentle encouragement that the sandwich method (Praise Improvement Praise) evaluation style brought appealed to me. However, I realised what Toastmasters International had done the day I walked up to the cashier at the bank and asked for a certain amount of cash in twenty dollars and another stated amount in fifty dollars. I received the entire amount in fifty-dollar bills.
A voice that sounded very much like my own, said.
"Excuse me, I asked for fifties and twenties; you have given me fifties."
Resisting the temptation to look around to check if there was another irate Scot either in the queue or with another cashier.
Soon after, while I was working in a call centre, a colleague was monitoring a call of mine. The caller was rude, and I was firm. My colleague looked at me in surprise.
"Gosh, you've changed, young lady."
Our boss was hovering and my colleague called her over.
"June, do you remember the little Scots girl who started here nine months ago?"
"Yes, I remember, I'm looking at her."
"Oh no, you are not. because the Scots girl we welcomed nine months ago ain't the one we have now. Golly, she put that knucklehead in his place most charmingly."
My public speaking days are limited, but the no-nonsense wolf in me still hovers, which proves that you can conquer your fears at the right time.
My Worst Fear Writing Contest contest entry
I have had a few fears in my life, most of which I have either controlled or grown out of. Yet when I think back, the thought of speaking to strangers or making pleasant conversation gnawed at me. The jaws were sharp, and the pain involved was excruciating. Now at a ripe old age, I believe it may have stemmed from the era when children should be seen and not heard. My dear dad often said that I was the perfect child when we visited friends.
"She's such a good little girl, isn't she!"
If these dear old ladies with their gorgeous china cups and yummy scones and cakes really knew! Then there was always the other aspect, Mum's look of disapproval if I chattered too much.
It gnawed at me nonetheless. Shyness could be interpreted as disdain, a hoity-toity attitude, but never to those supposedly in the know, a fear of talking.
My brother joined that wonderful organisation called Toastmasters International. He was always a wee bit of an actor so seeing him succeed I thought 'Good on Him.' until one day one of the ladies asked:
"When are you joining us, love?"
My eyes conveyed my thoughts
"Not Pygmalion likely!"
I thought about it again. I discussed it with my brother. He did some research into other Toastmasters clubs so that we would have breathing space where I would join. I visited another such organisation and found them too controlling. I bit the bullet.
The gentle encouragement that the sandwich method (Praise Improvement Praise) evaluation style brought appealed to me. However, I realised what Toastmasters International had done the day I walked up to the cashier at the bank and asked for a certain amount of cash in twenty dollars and another stated amount in fifty dollars. I received the entire amount in fifty-dollar bills.
A voice that sounded very much like my own, said.
"She's such a good little girl, isn't she!"
If these dear old ladies with their gorgeous china cups and yummy scones and cakes really knew! Then there was always the other aspect, Mum's look of disapproval if I chattered too much.
It gnawed at me nonetheless. Shyness could be interpreted as disdain, a hoity-toity attitude, but never to those supposedly in the know, a fear of talking.
My brother joined that wonderful organisation called Toastmasters International. He was always a wee bit of an actor so seeing him succeed I thought 'Good on Him.' until one day one of the ladies asked:
"When are you joining us, love?"
My eyes conveyed my thoughts
"Not Pygmalion likely!"
I thought about it again. I discussed it with my brother. He did some research into other Toastmasters clubs so that we would have breathing space where I would join. I visited another such organisation and found them too controlling. I bit the bullet.
The gentle encouragement that the sandwich method (Praise Improvement Praise) evaluation style brought appealed to me. However, I realised what Toastmasters International had done the day I walked up to the cashier at the bank and asked for a certain amount of cash in twenty dollars and another stated amount in fifty dollars. I received the entire amount in fifty-dollar bills.
A voice that sounded very much like my own, said.
"Excuse me, I asked for fifties and twenties; you have given me fifties."
Resisting the temptation to look around to check if there was another irate Scot either in the queue or with another cashier.
Soon after, while I was working in a call centre, a colleague was monitoring a call of mine. The caller was rude, and I was firm. My colleague looked at me in surprise.
"Gosh, you've changed, young lady."
Our boss was hovering and my colleague called her over.
"June, do you remember the little Scots girl who started here nine months ago?"
"Yes, I remember, I'm looking at her."
"Oh no, you are not. because the Scots girl we welcomed nine months ago ain't the one we have now. Golly, she put that knucklehead in his place most charmingly."
My public speaking days are limited, but the no-nonsense wolf in me still hovers, which proves that you can conquer your fears at the right time.
Soon after, while I was working in a call centre, a colleague was monitoring a call of mine. The caller was rude, and I was firm. My colleague looked at me in surprise.
"Gosh, you've changed, young lady."
Our boss was hovering and my colleague called her over.
"June, do you remember the little Scots girl who started here nine months ago?"
"Yes, I remember, I'm looking at her."
"Oh no, you are not. because the Scots girl we welcomed nine months ago ain't the one we have now. Golly, she put that knucklehead in his place most charmingly."
My public speaking days are limited, but the no-nonsense wolf in me still hovers, which proves that you can conquer your fears at the right time.
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Post Number 200 A Milestone Post |
'Not Pygmalion Likely' refers to the scandalous expression' Not Bloody Likely. ' The play Pygmalion, written by Irish playwright George Bernard Shaw and published in 1912, is better known by the film My Fair Lady, produced circa 1964.
"Knucklehead" is Aussie slang meaning 'a complete idiot'.
Pays
one point
and 2 member cents. "Knucklehead" is Aussie slang meaning 'a complete idiot'.
Artwork by jesuel at FanArtReview.com
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© Copyright 2024. Claire Tennant All rights reserved.
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