A Reluctant Winner

I blackmailed Filipino Club Toastmasters VP Education Vicky Cacayan to join the Club's Table Topics Contest if she wanted me to join. However, I was not able to pick up my speaking order number when Chief Judge Clement Vinayak, immediate past Area 3 Governor, went around as I was taking picture. Anyway, I ended up as contestant number 11 but Clement was not able to announce my name although Jawad managed to correct that before the start of the contest. To cut the long story short, I was the last speaker and I do not have the luxury of listening to any other contestants. It was a tough field. The likes of Hasanain, Ali Shahbaz, Nestor, Hamza, Vicky and Albert are competing. Even the four newer members like Noril, Abbas, Hani and Ramon can spring suprises. That is why it was called Table Topics. Besides, I am not interested in competing, more specifically, joining contests.

Unfortunate for me, I never went beyond time. I miscalculated. What I thought to be a lousy Table Topics speech apparently appealed to the judges. Hamza was third. Albert was second. And poor me will have to start worrying what to wear in the Area 3 Table Topics Contest. :(