"Tremor Boy"
By julito
@antonbunot (11091)
Calgary, Alberta
January 12, 2016 12:37pm CST
When I was a first year high school student in the seminary (It was my dream to become a catholic priest.), we had to read the epistles during mass. It was the first step of learning public speaking. Naturally, everyone was nervous in the beginning; but there was one classmate of ours (the oldest), who was so nervous speaking in front of an audience. He got extreme "butterflies." Seniors (third year and fourth year seminarians) teased him "tremor boy."
The first time he was assigned to read the epistle was Sunday. There were lots of people attending mass on Sunday. He had been practicing reading the epistle for a week in front of his buddy and me. Just reading a bit fast, perspiring a bit, and trembling a little, he seemed ready to "break a leg".
And so it was Sunday. In a moment Tremor Boy will be reading the epistle in front of many people attending Sunday mass. When the moment of truth had come, he stood up and walked confidently to the podium beside the altar. At the podium he opened the book of epistles. He looked at the audience for a moment. He seemed perfectly at ease.
He started to read the epistle. OMG, he CROAKED! Then he was TWEETING like a hummingbird. Suddenly, his dark brown complexion turned ash-gray! "Big trouble!", I whispered to his buddy. So embarrassed he started to tremble. Soon his hands were shaking like hell! He kept reading the epistle very fast without pausing after commas, colons, and stopping after periods. He was perspiring profusely. The shakings of his hands and arms were so extreme that he looked like he was trying to fly. But what really scared his buddy and me was he might lose his breath and drop to the floor gasping for air with wide open eyes. Surely, his legs were vibrating. I suspected he may have even peed a bit. Whew!
But, hey, he made it, folks! He survived his first reading of the epistle not with flying colors though. He eventually overcame his stage fright. Unfortunately, he did not become a priest; he became a topnotch lawyer instead. Good, ey?
Do you have extreme butterflies speaking in front of a crowd?
Do you have extreme butterflies speaking in front of a crowd?16 people like this
16 responses
@ridingbet (66857)
• Philippines
13 Jan 16
when I represented the college of nursing on Linggo ng Wika on August 1979 (national language week), I did not tremble at all. My coach told me to just look at the people as sacks of rice; that was how I became confident in speaking in front of the public.
3 people like this
@antonbunot (11091)
• Calgary, Alberta
15 Jan 16
LOL . . . sacks of rice! hahaha . . so funny! Nah, you are a teacher/nurse . . so, you have adequate experience to speak in front of a crowd. I was a sales manager of a large insurance company . . that's how I got rid of my butterflies.
1 person likes this
@ridingbet (66857)
• Philippines
15 Jan 16
@antonbunot but I was still a student that time, kabsat, when I had to see the audience as sacks of rice. I developed my confidence when I worked as a staff nurse until in the academe.
1 person likes this
@brokenbee (11090)
• Philippines
15 Jan 16
@ridingbet i was also told before not to look at the faces of my classmates when I had to report or declaim in front. I think it's effective.
2 people like this
@EugenesDDen (310)
• Ireland
12 Jan 16
I remember having to give a presentation once in front of about 60 scientists and engineers about a project I had worked on. I was told I had to do it about 6 months in advance and I had all that time to worry about it, however it turned out ok.
I hate doing things in public and would prefer not to do so. Most of the terror is really due to the anticipation of having to do something rather than the actual event. Once you start doing something, you are often too focused to worry about being self conscious.
2 people like this
@antonbunot (11091)
• Calgary, Alberta
13 Jan 16
Sometimes lack of or inadequate preparation is the reason of getting butterflies. Just like my former boss . . he was asked one day to say something about his strategy in selling life insurance policies . . He was caught off guard that he just went up the stage and said: "I have nothing to say because they said all!"
@Hatley (163781)
• Garden Grove, California
12 Jan 16
hi@inertia oh my you could not get me up in front of a group of people now and before i was shak ing girl or woman reading my report on early Negro women etc. I stood facing he eacher not my class persp iring and shaking and got a b minus that was ikt. No m ore not ever nada no wa y hose I had had it. I never dd that again.
2 people like this
@antonbunot (11091)
• Calgary, Alberta
12 Jan 16
@hatley you mean you are not comfortable speaking in front of an audience even now?
@antonbunot (11091)
• Calgary, Alberta
13 Jan 16
So depending upon the crowd @amadeo!? Like what crowd?
@antonbunot (11091)
• Calgary, Alberta
23 Mar 16
@sol_cee I don't have a peso coin . . how about a dollar coin ?
@sol_cee (38223)
• Philippines
23 Mar 16
@antonbunot It works for me. And Duterte too I heard. lol
1 person likes this
@brokenbee (11090)
• Philippines
15 Jan 16
I get nervous too but not that much. Yes, I have stage fright but I could also report in front of the class. But that was long ago. Hahaha! I just don't know if I still can.
1 person likes this
@antonbunot (11091)
• Calgary, Alberta
19 Jan 16
@brokenbee Dika unay agkatawa, balasang a napintas, baka maregreg deta! (English translation: Do not laugh hard and loud, pretty lady, that and that may fall down!)
2 people like this
@antonbunot (11091)
• Calgary, Alberta
15 Jan 16
Hehehe! Agkuyegyeg ti nerbyos ni napintas a balasang! (translation: Pretty lady vibrates due to nervous breakdown!)
1 person likes this
@brokenbee (11090)
• Philippines
16 Jan 16
@antonbunot whoaaa hahaha! Vibrates? Lol
1 person likes this
@SIMPLYD (90722)
• Philippines
18 Jan 16
@antonbunot Speaking of seminarians , i have a lot of admirers who were seminarians . In fact , i had a boyfriend who is already at Tagaytay and became a priest .
But i broke up with him when he said he will become a priest first out of respect to his father's wish and wold go out of priesthood eventually . WHAT ! No way , will i compete with God . 
2 people like this
@antonbunot (11091)
• Calgary, Alberta
15 Jan 16
@SIMPLYD No, if you were there . . (you would have been young, pretty, adorable, and so on at that time) all the seminarians, especially yours truly, would have been trying to smile, wink, and looking at you!
) all the seminarians, especially yours truly, would have been trying to smile, wink, and looking at you!1 person likes this
@antonbunot (11091)
• Calgary, Alberta
18 Jan 16
@SIMPLYD That was what I was thinking about you! I just had the feeling that you had some admirers from the seminary! hahaha! Tagaytay?! So, he must have studied in Christ The King Seminary for 2 years like me. On our scholastic years (3rd year to 4th year college) we were sent to Tagaytay. Then regency - - meaning we were sent for a year to teach either in a minor seminary or colleges outside the seminary. That must have been the time you met your Frater Charming!
1 person likes this
@hereandthere (45651)
• Philippines
13 Jan 16
if he's a topnotch lawyer now, then i guess he's used to speaking to groups of people now.
1 person likes this
@antonbunot (11091)
• Calgary, Alberta
15 Jan 16
O, yeah! He also became a tough prosecutor . . . but he was gunned down!
1 person likes this
@hereandthere (45651)
• Philippines
16 Jan 16
@antonbunot oh, god. from one extreme to the other. 
1 person likes this
@TiarasOceanView (70035)
• United States
12 Jan 16
I actually do not. I had spoken many years ago to a business womens group for luncheon and I had no nerves.
1 person likes this
@TiarasOceanView (70035)
• United States
12 Jan 16
@antonbunot Well it is simply because I dont care what others think..dont know if that is a good trait or not lolz I like the green guy up there lolz
I like the green guy up there lolz1 person likes this
@antonbunot (11091)
• Calgary, Alberta
12 Jan 16
@TiarasOceanView No, no . . that is not the reason . . you just have what we call SELF-CONFIDENCE, my friend. Not very many have that.
@antonbunot (11091)
• Calgary, Alberta
12 Jan 16
@TiarasOceanView . . . There are people who are so comfortable speaking in front of an audience . . I think it is a talent . . and you got it, my friend.!
2 people like this
@Missmwngi (12927)
• Nairobi, Kenya
12 Jan 16
Ha haa i used to as well but now i can manage
1 person likes this
@antonbunot (11091)
• Calgary, Alberta
12 Jan 16
I don't know, @Missmwngi if I am a normal person as far as speaking in front of an audience is concerned. I just love it! O, I miss my job as sales manager of the largest life insurance company in the Philippines. . . Been doing seminars after seminars . . . and making my agents laughed. The last time I delivered a speech was at the reception of the wedding of our gay daughter . . I guess I should post my short wedding speech here. . .
1 person likes this
@antonbunot (11091)
• Calgary, Alberta
20 Jan 16
And he became a very popular prosecutor . . . but, sadly, he and his son got gunned down.
1 person likes this
@paigea (35678)
• Canada
17 Jan 16
Wow, that is amazing he was that nervous and managed to get over it.
Once my daughter was singing with the choir and I saw the colour drain from her face and she started to weave a bit. I ran up to the stage and caught her just as she passed out. It was a small crowded church on a hot day. She was fine after a bit. Not the same as being nervous, but your story made me think of it.
1 person likes this
@antonbunot (11091)
• Calgary, Alberta
20 Jan 16
O, I see a lot of passing out on TV . . especially on that popular show - The Funniest Home Videos . . . like those grooms passing out during weddings.
1 person likes this
@antonbunot (11091)
• Calgary, Alberta
22 Mar 16
Nah, you just lost your vocation like me!
1 person likes this
@Yar_Joey (3271)
• Philippines
23 Mar 16
@antonbunot hahah! But I still talk about the teachings of the church my friend, and I still sing in church. (I help the choir in our parish when there are church activities).
@antonbunot (11091)
• Calgary, Alberta
15 Jan 16
O, I should also say - - Shame on us! Why? Because most of us were giggling!
1 person likes this
