It’s the second week of the teacher-training course and the instructor walks around the class, shaking a cardboard box in her hand. “Today, we’re doing an activity called shock therapy. Inside are slips of paper. Each slip has a single word on it. When I call your name come up and choose a slip. You will then have one minute to prepare a two-minute talk on the topic you get.”
Immediately, we deluge her with questions: inane questions; hypothetical questions; obtuse questions. We’ve been taught to encourage our students to ask questions but we’re not playing that role now. We’re doing it solely to waste time. It’s an hour to lunch and we’re trying to avoid this silly activity. It occurs to me that one day our students are going to try the same stunt with us.
The first person walks nervously to the front, picks a slip from the box, opens and reads it. She looks at the ground for a minute and then talks about ‘envy’. The alarm cuts her off and she looks like she could have gone on and on. Obviously, she has a lot of experience there.
Then that cadaverous know-it-all who always sits in the corner shuffles up. He has a supercilious expression when he reads what’s on his slip. He doesn’t have a lot to say about ‘love’. Looks like ‘envy’ at the lack of ‘love’. After about thirty seconds he stops talking, and looks around the class indifferently. The class waits in silence for the alarm but he doesn’t seem to care.
My name is called but it doesn’t register. The instructor raises her voice and the class looks at me. I hate speaking in public and as I push myself up from the chair my legs turn to lead. My name is called again and I struggle to get up. Even though the air-conditioning makes the room uncomfortably cold, my palms are damp.
I shuffle to the executioner who is calling my name once again. I must consider a career change I think as I look at the ceiling and dip my hand into the box. I look down, unfold the slip and read ‘dust’. I curse my luck. Why couldn’t I have got ‘football’ or ‘sex’ or something easy to talk about?
My mind is blank and my shirt is sticking to my body. My throat is parched and my palate feels like sand. I curse myself for not being absent today. The person who thought up this activity definitely worked for the Gestapo.
“Start,” says Mrs. Hitler after a minute and presses the timer.
But my mind is as empty as my bank account and I’ve lost my voice. I start coughing and then get a brainwave. I’ll keep coughing for two minutes. I start doing so uncontrollably, getting carried away with this act of a lifetime. The tears are streaming down my face as I try to cough out my larynx, my kidneys and even my big toe. I may not make it as a teacher but I’m going all out for an Oscar on this one.
Madame Hitler is unimpressed. “When you’ve stopped, we’ll begin,” she says stopping the timer.
I cannot believe how callous she is. Had positions been reversed, I’d have called a doctor, the fire brigade, maybe even the president. I’m even more offended when I hear giggles across the classroom. How heartless has society become? Is life so cheap? I could be having cholera, the clap and a cardiac arrest for all they care.
I take out my handkerchief, determined to salvage some dignity. I read the word again, ‘dust’. How could any self-respecting person even think up a word like that, leave alone speak on it for two minutes?
“Dust,” I hear myself croaking, “is a filthy four-letter word. And if anybody has a dust allergy, please leave the room.” And I walk out.
Twenty minutes later, I sneak into the room and everybody looks in my direction. They have been waiting for my return.
COMMENTS
khaidao
This story is true, I’ve had experiences like this. I can’t control myself when in front of so many people. But I’ve been through it with the courage to express myself. I tried a lot of this , finally I did it.
Penny
I have faced this kind of problem sometimes. Although my teacher gave us time to prepare, I still could not talk in front of many people and I always picked a topic that was difficult.
Bee
This activity is great and makes my brain work so hard😂. First time I did this activity I was really nervous but the second time it was easier ( still excited 5555 )
Dodo Phunyathiboud
I hate public speaking. I’m always too nervous when people look at me. I’ve tried to overcome such situations but until now I can’t.
© Percy Aaron
Wow Laos 