I asked them if it was too late to back out, they said yes. I looked over at my friends expecting some encouragement, but from the look of their faces, they might have needed it more than me. As act after act went up and performed, I started feeling more and more nervous. After a few weeks of practice, it was time for the show. I agreed on the conditions that I would only be singing backup and nobody would have to hear my voice. They continued begging, and weirdly, I finally agreed. They begged and pleaded but I stood firm. I’m not a great singer, so I quickly dismissed the idea, telling them that they could perform it if they wanted, but to exclude me. When I was about 13, some friends of mine thought it would be cool to sing a song for our school’s talent show. When I was younger, people would tell me, if you get scared of all those people looking at you, just imagine them in their underwear. Ever since I can remember, I’ve tried to shy away from situations where I would have to be in front of a group of people. However, one experience remains in my mind.
I’ve had my fair share of embarrassment, let me tell you. An experience that will probably be hard for onlookers to forget. No one can really escape it, at one point or another, something will happen that will be burnt and etched into your memory. “Feelings of self-consciousness, shame or humiliation” (Merriam-Webster’s).
