The Last Call

Have you ever had that one moment in your life that just stuck to you like glue? A moment in which no matter how old you get you’ll always remember every detail. The DECA ICDC (international career development conference) Marketing Competition in Orlando, Florida was a moment in life that will stick to me forever. That moment came for me in my senior year in high school. Although the excitement kept me jittery all I wanted to do was sleep. Being up thirty thousand feet with three of my closest friends made that task nearly impossible. As I sat there gazing out the window I thought of every single possibility in which I could bring this trophy back to Worcester. Traveling to Florida as a kid you’d think this flight would be a walk in a park for me, but this time made an everlasting impact on my life. The laughter of children and excitement in their eyes brought joy to my heart as they discussed their plans for Disney world. The pure beauty as we soar over the mountain ranges taking in the magnificent sights of glorious puffed trees coating the incredibly steep hills with the sun just peaking up behind them was an amazing experience to just relax and reflect on not only life but the goal at hand. After going over the material for the presentation a million times I wasn’t ever confident in my work until I stepped in front of a judge. My hands were shaking, knees trembling, and heart pounding I felt it only necessary to take a seat before I presented. There I sat anxiously waiting for my name to be called. My mind was racing analyzing every small point thinking about any last ideas to tweak my project to make it phenomenal. "James Owens! James Owens," the secretary calls me my heart drops hands jittering as I reach for my board. That walk from my sweat filled seat to the judges table was a mere fifty feet but to me it felt like the green mile. Setting up this presentation I would’ve never guessed that I would actually be at this stage so I straightened my pressed black tie and adjusted my blue blazer and started with, “Hello, My name is James Owens and I am here to present you my proposal.” The rest was a walk in the park and I finished with confidence. Although the sureness level was really high I could not sleep at all that night. I lay in the bed tossing and turning scrutinizing that fifteen minute presentation seeing where I could’ve changed it to make it more memorable and impacting. I watched the sun rise. Walking slowly to the bathroom I looked in the mirror splashed cold water that of which felt like it came from artic lands I muttered to myself, “it’s judgment day.” That day