So our school annual day program is going to be on 11 th and 12 th of December '09. Normally cultural programs are not my cup of tea. Except for some occational aberrations, I always try to keep myself away from embarassment. I feel I will be embarassed. Of course it happened couple of times when i tried to get involved. I remember my early days experiences with school cultural programs.

When i was in primary school ( I to V grade) I was selected to act in a drama. My only qualification was I could memorise most of the lessons that we were taught in school. I was to act as a king. The story is about two kings who are going too much rhetoric about going for a war. I had memorised all the dialoques and there was no problem till the last day. But as the fate willed I forgot all the dialogues when i was on stage. You think about my situation. I was well dressed like a king. A golden crown was decorating my head which did not incorporate the dialogues. A beautiful dhoti which i wore for the first time. My parents and relatives were present to see my acting skill. Every one was expecting that i would do a very great job. I was just muttering what my teacher was saying from behind the stage.

The other incident took place when i was in Eigth standard. Somehow i got the courage to give my name to participate in a singing competition. I was too young to understand about the skills that i had. In my school you can sing any song in a competition . It need not be classical song. It can be a cinema song. A movie song was my selection and i selected this particular song because it was from a movie with 'Sivaji' Ganesan as hero. I liked the movies of 'Sivaji' Ganesan. To my surprise no one came out with movie songs. I enjoyed listening to others singing. When my turn came i went to the stage. I just started to sing and before i could complete the first stanza, my teacher who was one of the judges, told me to stop and leave the stage. Oh my God!!! It was too embarassing. Till now I have never tried to sing again. Now I know how sweet my voice is. And I guard my melodious voice like a precious possesion. Never to allow anyone to hear it again.