As I walk one day, I stumbled over a couture shop and the scent of newly sewed gowns brought back a memory from the past. Back in 1997, I got one of the biggest breaks in my acting career in our school; at least that was how I presupposed it. It was all a moment of joy and excitement mixed with pressure from the fact that I will be acting as Juliet in our school play.
The thought of becoming famous continued to linger in my mind, which made me avid in every practice sessions. It was such a fun working with the other actors especially with the lead actor, Romeo. Everything went fine but as the play day drew nearer the pressure seemed to twist my intestines and stomach. May heart rate also seemed to beat faster during those days which I can not ascertain whether the effect of my excitement or of my nervousness.
When the play day came, I started to feel like being punched from the stomach and my neurons were in a chaotic conduction as I gazed around hundreds of audience. The sound of the orchestra signaled my moment to finally come out from the backstage. As I walk towards the center of the stage, a thing not in any of my wildest imaginations happened. I stumbled and my butt was hard on the floor. The sound of my butt hitting the floor was even audible enough to hear but what struck me at that moment was the split-second silence of audience waiting for the next thing to happen.
Instead of Romeo kissing my hand he ended up offering a hand to help me up and I glanced around the audience and gave them a wide smile. But laughter later filled the theater as I delivered Romeo’s line instead of mine. I only realized this when Romeo neared me and told me my supposed line but nevertheless he jumped some of the lines to stay with the correct flow. I must have gotten a load of jinx with me for when he stepped away he stepped over my dress which was ripped. I was all red-faced as most of my blood seemed to went up my head.
The rest that happened was part of the history of my student days, but it took days to finally get over with the humiliation. Thanks to my friends who have always been sensitive to just put it as a fine humor.
