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Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World That Can ... - WordPress.com

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dries up and I can’t get any words out?What if I bore the audience? What if Ithrow up onstage?My boyfriend (now my husband),Ken, watches me toss and turn. He’s bewilderedby my distress. A former UNpeacekeeper, he once was ambushed <strong>in</strong>Somalia, yet I don’t th<strong>in</strong>k he felt asscared then as I do now.“Try to th<strong>in</strong>k <strong>of</strong> happy th<strong>in</strong>gs,” hesays, caress<strong>in</strong>g my forehead.I stare at the ceil<strong>in</strong>g, tears well<strong>in</strong>g.What happy th<strong>in</strong>gs? Who could behappy <strong>in</strong> a world <strong>of</strong> podiums andmicrophones?“<strong>The</strong>re are a billion people <strong>in</strong> Ch<strong>in</strong>awho don’t give a rat’s ass about yourspeech,” Ken <strong>of</strong>fers sympathetically.This helps, for approximately fiveseconds. I turn over and watch thealarm clock. F<strong>in</strong>ally it’s six thirty. Atleast the worst part, the night-before285/929

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