The people in my public speaking group were varied. There was an aspiring politician and a trade union negotiator both of whom were doing the course for obvious reasons.

The rest of us, however, were a mixed bunch. There was a retired teacher who was full of fun and who became the light and soul of the group. She wore haute couture and was always immaculately turned out. There was an architect who had to speak in his job and who had a dreadful problem pronouncing his TH sounds. There were housewives and business people and young students. There were those who just came to try out the course and there was a genius who looked the part of the nutty professor. Above all there was Mary. Mary was an elderly lady who whispered her name in trembling tones and told us she was too shy to speak in public. She quickly became the class mascot. If Mary could learn to speak in public anyone could.

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