When I was in Grade 7, maybe Grade 8, I played a trick on one of my classmates. I’ll call him Bohdan.
The teacher called on Bohdan to stand up and answer a couple of questions. I could see he wasn’t sure of the answers and I whispered to him an answer – I purposefully gave him the wrong answer. Bohdan repeated the answer to the teacher. The teacher said, that’s wrong; and the classmates laughed at him.
The teacher asked Bohdan a second question. I whispered an answer again only this time I gave him the correct answer. He didn’t believe me and gave the opposite answer to the teacher.
The teacher again said, that’s wrong; and the classmates laughed at him.
I’ve often viewed that incident as nothing more than an amusing anecdote.
Lately my adult self has been reminding me that “with great power comes great responsibility”.
My younger self did not relate to himself as someone with power. Yet clearly my younger self had the power to manipulate Bohdan so effectively!
I’m an adult now, supposedly one who has matured. Not only that but I’m also a DTM. A distinguished Toastmaster.
At Toastmasters meeting tonight, Stefan asked me for some tips on being quizmaster. It was his first time in the role. I have him a few tips for doing the role and I set him up with a context for why we have a quizmaster role.
Then Hamid approached me separately and asked for some tips on being grammarian. I gave him a few tips and encouraged him to use the word of the day when he introduces the role, as that would set an example and encourage others to also use the word of the day.
I felt honoured that both members had approached me to ask for tips.
Hamid used the word of the day in his introduction. The audience liked how he did that and they laughed.
Later in the meeting, Stefan and Hamid were both acknowledged by the General Evaluator for doing specific things. Specific things they did using the tips I’d given them.
That two members asked me for tips on their role, and used them, and got acknowledged by others for using them – that made my day.
I think that makes up for the time when I tricked Bohdan into giving the wrong answer twice in succession.