Page 33 - January 2021 Voices

Are You the Key?

Paul Fanning, DTM

Hall & Allen both could be there for the great unveiling of the
Bank building. vault’s long abandoned secrets. That day came-I
The vault was proudly carried the key into the shop, once again

still there, with spraying the lock, and pushed the key in, slowly
its massive green and turning it as it settled into place. With a slight
black iron door and a creak or two, a definite groan of the iron and a
magnificent secure lock final holding of my breath, the key turned within

plate, locked solid. Where you the plate. We all heard the resounding noise of
would insert the key, there was the release, and finally, like gaining access into
an unusual four-pronged spot King Tut’s tomb, the door swung open revealing.
for a key often used on Wells Fargo . . cobwebs, dusty shelves, and dead insects. No

treasure boxes. gold, no silver, no jewels. What a disappointment.
Then it hit me! I had been given one But the deed was accomplished. Betty now had
of those huge iron keys by the owner of our a key to the bank vault—and me the human key
Trading Post the year before. Could it be the to it all!

missing key? Would the lock mechanism still Fellow Toastmasters. Sadly, no treasure
work almost 100 years later? I had to find out. I was found, but I can see a parallel between my
know the suspense is killing you—but. . .I really experience as a teenager providing the key to
had to try my key! accessing a bank vault and me being a human

I took my four-pronged iron key—about four key accessing the Toastmasters International
inches long with a huge ring at the end—and membership experience. I seriously want you
after spraying some WD-40 in the lock, inserted to consider your time, talent, and treasure in
it very, very slowly. It slid in silently as if it were Toastmasters. What can you be a key to?

made for that vault door. I cautiously jiggled the Within your club, you can be a key by offering
key, hoping and praying that it would turn the to be a mentor to other Toastmasters as they
internal cylinder without snapping off. I stopped develop and grow into confident, successful
at this point, and knew I needed to wait for Betty, speakers and leaders. Each club needs 5-7 club

the owner, to be present if and when it opened. officers each year to provide the best membership
Visions of gold bars, bags of coins and property experience for club members. Perhaps this is the
deeds unclaimed danced through my head. It year that you consider that role of Sergeant-at-
was the longest three days in my life until we Arms, or Vice President Membership. But without

VOICES! | JANUARY 2021 33