My Toastmaster's speech for the International Taped Speech contest.Hello friends, I am Priya here, welcome to the noon show in your favorite channel Bangalore FM 91. We start the show with a favorite of one and all, the song "Dancing Queen" by ABBA. Peter enjoyed the song on his car stereo as he flew through Airport Road, one of Bangalore's best roads. Soon he stopped at a red, right in front. He smiled at the girl who stopped on a two wheeler right beside him, he spelt within, "Aah, this is life".
Fellow Toastmasters and friends ... why am I speaking of Peter, who is he, just another software engineer, strolling fashionably the lighted streets of Bangalore. Lets find out what happened to Peter and his life.
The red light at the army quarters was a pretty long once, and soon the heat started to take toll. He drew down his tinted glass windows and somehow tried to keep away from the scorching heat. It was a hot sultry day. As he waited the signal to turn green, he saw a little boy at the light, he was barely 9. And he was trying to sell some yellow colored towels. That little boy came running to Peter, "Sir please take one” Peter thought, "aargh what is this new trouble now". He shooed the kid away. When suddenly there was a shout .... "Move out", some other kid on the footpath, who seemed to be the little boy’s competitor in selling yellow towels, shouted out to him, as the light had turned green. The little boy stumbled his way to the footpath. He never made a difference in Peter's life.
Peter was driving to a highly expensive joint on Airport road to join his college mates for lunch and a pint of beer after a long long time. No one really bothered about the prices.
Hi Pets ... long time ... his friends greeted him and waved to him as his eyes searched for the reserved table. Lots of informal greetings exchanged ... they spoke of their long lost crushes, girlfriends, their managers and the traffic in bangalore. Weak topics ..... The Radio was switched on and it was Priya once again on the noon show. Now they were playing a number by Phil Collins' "Just another day in paradise". Arjun, one of the guys in the group, got nostalgic. During the college days he used to be a volunteer for CRY, which stands for "Child Relief and You". Arjun participated in the activities of CRY. No one among his group ever joined him. Though today in the midst of his job and duties as a husband ... he did not find enuf time to work for any NGO, he still yearned to do his part. Nevertheless he kept track the activities of CRY and did help them out financially. That song really brought him to tears. Hey Arjun, be a man!! You don't cry listening to a song ... even your wife won't do that ..... they all laughed at Arjun. Arjun was hurt .. he still hadn't changed, as sensitive as he was 5 years ago. Arjun stood up and made a proclamation ... hey guys this Saturday, there is a voluntary camp for children at CRY, and we all are going for it. There were so many moans, nah, not on a Saturday Arjun, please. Arjun literally threatened everyone, and made them swear in the name of their friendship that all would join him. CRY could make use of 5 young and dynamic youngsters.
By now, the lunch was eaten and the beer all finished up, and there came the bill. Though they all had planned to go dutch, Peter paid it. His eyebrows just lifted up as he stared at the bill, one bottle of Kingfisher Draught beer, which cost just about 45 bucks out in the market was charged hundred. Now now now that was daylight robbery .... Peter expressed his surprise to his friends. Arjun who was already in full form, remarked, that is something like 300 rupees we've wasted, hey guys that would have made a good contribution to CRY.
This pinched Peter, he is paying 300 Rupees more, just for beer .... how true Arjun was, if not donating it to CRY, he could as well have got himself something he could use.
As Peter drove back, he felt it badly. He felt that something was amiss in life, it was not marriage and a family of his own that he lacked, it was something more grave, more profound. He told himself, let me chance CRY this saturday.
Saturday, all the guys drove to Wheeler's Road where the CRY office was situated. Except Peter, all the rest cursed Arjun for having stolen their weekend. Peter spent half a day with the children. He remembered his childhood days when he heard the children playing Ringa Ringa roses, pocket full of poses. As they said husha, busha all fall down, a little girl stumbled in her excitement and hurt herself. One of the volunteers just came running and told her to be careful. He remembered how his mom had nursed his sister when she fell the same way when they were young
How pitiful, these children did not have mothers to care for them. Peter stopped himself wallowing in sympathy towards the children, he realized he was also transforming into another Arjun, frail .... But never mind ...... Peter enjoyed the company of the children, the more time he spent with them, the more he realized how much more fortunate he was in life. He told them stories and made pancakes with the mud. That day he returned home with a joy which was so unfathomable, so addictive that he would do it again and again in life.
A week later, on a Sunday, Peter was heading to the Airport to pick up his little niece. He had with him 5 of the her favourite bar chocolates. It was the same red light at the Army quarters. Peter saw a similar face selling yellow towels. This time again, the little boy knocked at his car window. Peter could not help but smile, he gave the boy one of those chocolates he had with him and asked him his name. It was a pleasant surprise for the kid and he was all smiles. He quickly snatched it from Peter, and ran across shouting, "Thanks Sir, My name is Raja"
Once again Peter felt that same unfathomable ecstasy. Maybe he was being selfish by giving away just one chocolate, nevertheless Peter had made Raja’s day. As he headed towards the airport he thought he made the little boy feel that he was cared for. Never did he know, how much more Raja longed to meet Peter again.
Friends, The one who loves, is always loved. One who shares, is always safe in someone's heart somewhere. And believe me, God surely takes care of that.
