THE DEBUT ERROR
It was a regular Friday in mid-May 2023. A clueless, lethargic, and casually dressed Bryan D'Souza, without any expectations, entered the halls of the Bangalore Toastmasters Club. He was mesmerized by how formal the members dressed at the club. He had visited the club on multiple occasions with his father, but this time it was different because he walked through the doors voluntarily, with the sole purpose of becoming a member. No Toastmaster can forget their first walk through the polished wooden doors of the club. Like every other guest, Bryan was greeted by a member—TM Aditya Srivastav. TM Aditya was the first member to welcome him, and the greeting came in the form of a slightly daunting statement: “All guests should occupy the first two rows of the club,” said Aditya in a comforting voice—comforting enough for him.
Day one as a guest wasn’t easy for Bryan. Not only was he nudged into the second row, but he also made the "mistake" of talking to the extroverted TM Puneeth Suraana, who called on the Table Topics Master, TM Niana Alex, and insisted that Bryan be given a topic. And so he was. Bryan spoke about “My Ideal Sunday” on the cradle of public speaking—the red BTMC stage. Fortunately, the stage was kind to him.
On May 19, 2023, Bryan was officially welcomed into the BTMC community through the induction ceremony. It was during this ceremony that he committed his debut error—pretending to be Harvey Specter from Suits, buttoning his blazer on the go. Unfortunately, living in this fantasy cost him dearly, as he buttoned his new blazer incorrectly while walking to the stage. Embarrassing. However, instead of being laughed at, he was encouraged to smile it away. He wasn’t barred from wearing a blazer but was advised to wear one always. Didn’t buy a tie? Worry not, because TM Robinson D’Souza generously gave him 18 ties—yes, 18 ties! And, no, Bryan didn’t learn to tie a tie through YouTube; he was personally taught by TM Robinson D’Souza.
He was soon given the title, “The person who wore a blazer for the role of Timer,” by TM Vishal Vasantha Kumar. Over time, Bryan transformed into a person who was regularly complimented for his formal wear whenever he took the stage. Ironically, he won third place in the club evaluations contest without wearing a blazer. TM Vishal continued the playful title: “The person who wore a suit for the role of Timer but couldn’t wear one for a contest.”
This makes me smile as I reflect on my journey—not just in public speaking but also in how I metamorphosed from committing a debut error to being complimented for my attire. I went from feeling insecure and uncomfortable to winning multiple battles on the sacred red stage with utmost confidence. The debut error taught me how to dress formally. While many thank the club for their improvement in public speaking, I thank the club for teaching me that committing mistakes is necessary for success, as everybody has their debut error.
(Bryan D'Souza, “The Debut Error,” Bangalore Toastmasters Club Newsletter - Shatabdi,
Very well written and hope to read a lot more from you.
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