Page 28 - july 2022

GLEANINGS FROM THE GROVE
Your Adventure Begins Now!
Paul C. Fanning, DTM
Imagine that you are about to play an online members at the college. I sat and listened, but
role-playing game—an RPG. There would be was that a bead of sweat forming on my brow?
flashing lights, great graphics, and of course Were my 3x5 cards with my notes written in
the ever-present, modulated voice-over found large letters actually readable on the lectern?
in many of these types of games. That voice— Was that butterflies in my stomach or a greasy
dramatic, somewhat menacing (but not too Darth lunch rebelling? And then I heard my name, my
Vader-like) but oh so "Hollywood” intones, “Your speech title, and the evaluator’s name as I was
Adventure Begins Now.” invited to address the club. “Your adventure is
That was how I felt almost two decades ago now in progress.”
in Eastern Oregon as I waited for my name Now in a perfect world, or the perfect
to be introduced by the Toastmaster in the Hollywood movie, I would have dazzled my
Blue Mountain Community College (BMCC) fellow Toastmasters with my witty repartee,
classroom. My adventure was to begin. It indeed my eloquent use of the English language, and
was my first “public” Toastmasters speech, out obviously have it well received, and my topic
of the small green workbooks of the era. Time fully understood by the admiring audience. Yet
seemed to stand still. In my opinion, it was the reality was somewhat different and a difficult
like watching an old Sci-Fi or war movie with teacher, and upon conclusion, a polite response
the beeping green radar screen showing the from the Toastmaster until the evaluator was
blips—me the speaker, the evaluator, and the called forward to ply his craft. Drum roll, please!
Toastmaster-friends and foes —converging upon Up strode the evaluator to the lectern. He was
each other in that sense of impending doom. a neighbor of mine, and I was always mindful
No, it was not my first Toastmasters speech as that he resembled Graham Greene of the movie
I had already given my Icebreaker and perhaps Dances with Wolves fame. We all called him
another one or two, but this was a combined “Chief'” He stood well over six feet, large frame
meeting of three Toastmasters clubs—one from with hair braids and was a Lakota-Sioux from
across the river in Washington’s Tri-Cities, the Dakotas. He might as well have worn deer
not even in our area or district, the original skin clothing and carried a pipe bag. He was
sponsoring club from whom the BMCC instructor serious, business-like, and stern faced. I do not
was a member, and us, the “new” club of fledgling know where he kept his horse!
28 ONE COMMUNITY
At the lectern, he proceeded to lambast my and months. At the end of three months, I found
speech, pointing out that the examples I used myself in a wheelchair due to a massive foot
were people unpopular with native peoples, and infection attributed to where I worked and being
how insensitive I was to the native local culture in wet boots and socks most of the time. The
on the reservation. You could have knocked doctor gave me an ultimatum—change jobs or
me over with a (prayer) feather! Not only was I plan to remain in the chair without my foot and
disappointed in his evaluation of me, but I felt possibly even more missing parts as they were
betrayed and embarrassed to be called a racist, unable to halt the infection. I was lucky (due to
per se, by someone who I considered a friend. my Toastmasters connections) to get a position
After all, I had spent over five years collaborating with BMCC soon afterwards with the English as
with various native peoples in Alaska and had left a Second Language, Adult Basic Education and
there with many friends and elders I respected GED programs which lasted until 2013 when
among the three major tribal groups. I returned to the green trees and non-desert
The room remained silent after he strode lands of Western Washington County. That soon
off at his conclusion. They sat just as stunned freed me up to attend Toastmasters often, be
as I was by what had been said. Sadly, for me, shown what an evaluation should be like by the
that was Chief’s last Toastmasters meeting, and Washington club. The main lesson I learned was
we drifted apart. He had said that my speech to “know thy audience before thou opened thy
confirmed the gulf, the “Grand Canyon” chasm mouth and inserted thy foot” mode of speaking
between the white culture and his native culture. and preparing a speech.
I was hurt inside, and we never reconciled, nor This adventure was to bring me to the
did he allow me to discuss it further with him. point of becoming a club officer many times
What was my speech about, you ask? Hopi over, multiple Triple Crown and Distinguished
Kachina Dolls, and those who collected them, Toastmaster Awards, Area and Division Director
i.e., Senator Barry Goldwater and John Wayne. positions and culminating with my term as
(See my Voices! “Reflections” column from the District 7’s Administration Manager. It truly has
September 2019 issue.) been a great adventure, a journey, a sojourn, and
I discovered a lot about myself and service to others through Toastmasters—which
Toastmasters that day and the following weeks I have never regretted beginning nor wished to
VOICES! | JULY 2022 29