DAY 57: The Power of Positive Speaking

The banquet room was overflowing with chatter, as the assembled crowd took their seats for the top of the hour.  Ollie squirmed in his seat, trying to not get smacked by any promotional giftbags as people passed through his row.  Hal, looking up from his phone, said, "If you want to move in, we could-"

"I am not losing this seat.  I hate crowds, I hate lectures, and I hate these assignments.  As soon as we can verify what a waste of time this is, I'm walking."

An usher with a clipboard came up to them.  "I'm sorry, sir, I'm going to have to ask for you to move towards the center, so we get any many people in as possible."

Ollie threw on a fake smile.  "We're waiting for a friend. We're expecting him any minute.  Isn't that right, Hal?"

Hal looked back at his phone.  "Just texted.  He's almost here."

"Well, perhaps your friend has entered from another-"

Ollie held up a fist, waving his red plastic wristband at the usher.  "You see this?  You know how much you guys are charging for us to be sitting on these plastic chairs?"

"I'm sorry, of course.  You are guests.  You should wait where your friend will find you."

"His name's Gene," Hal added.

The usher nodded.  "Yes.  If Gene passes my way, I will know where to direct him, sirs.  Enjoy the message."  He scurried away.

Behind the curtain, Edward McAbee watched footage from a previous seminar, muttering along with his favorite phrases.  "...personal actuation... the power of self-" 

He paused the footage, and looked over his shoulder, where his assistant stood with notebook in hand.    "Power of ONEself?  YOURself?  Which one, Nuri?"
"Perhaps 'true self'?"  Edward nodded, chewing on the phrase in his mouth.  He motioned his finger like a wand, and Nuri added the phrase to his notebook.
Edward looked at the frozen frame, a sea of outstretched hands and green wristbands.  He wound the scene back, to his stage entrance:  his walk to the podium was greeted with applause, of varying levels.  Edward pointed at two enthusiastic attendees with green wristbands.  "See there, Nuri?  They were already into it."

He moved his focus two rows over, on two more polite audience members in blue armbands.  "Those girls... they needed convincing."
Nuri sighed as Edward fast-forwarded again to the moment of audience rapture, and the self onscreen began yelling about "the power of SELF..."  Edward pointed again at the skeptical girls; their armbands glowed emerald.  "You see that?  I turned them around.  Everybody in that room..."

Edward started rewinding again. "Did we see what part of the speech got them?"
"You're nervous, sir.  There's no need to be nervous."
"I need to be nervous.  I'm great when I'm nervous!"  Edward stood up and straightened himself up, tall as a redwood.  "Reminds me why I do this."
A knock on his door; the usher.  "There are two redbands in the center aisle, section H.  Linda thought you should know."
Edward nodded.  "Thank you.  Keep contact with her team, they can handle it.  Let's spread the message."
He looked back at Nuri.  "Like I said, I'm great when I'm nervous."


Inspired by Discover Magazine article, "A Mood Ring for your Mind"