“I’m going to skip my introduction. If you paid for this course, you know what you’re getting”

"The conference room was busy. I looked around, no overtly Jewish faces. There was a water cooler in the corner with mint candies on top. Guess those are key in public speaking. I grabbed a cup and waited for the woman ahead of me to finish. She looked up, I gave a closed-mouth smile.

“Hi,” I said as she stepped back. “I’m Chana.”

“Lana.” She offered me her hand. I was surprised at her grip, she meant this.

“Your sheitel is so natural.”

I nearly spit out my water. Never been bageled before. And she’s lying, my sheitel looks like a bird’s nest.

“Thanks.”

“What’s your line of work?”

Line of work? Like I have a real job. Funny.

“Shul rebbetzin — wife of the rabbi.”

Lana hit my upper arm with the back of her hand. “Got you on your first try.” She winked.

“You?” I asked.

“Strategic media marketer.”

“Cool, no idea what that is.”

Lana laughed. “I tell companies how to get you to buy more of their stuff.”

My kind of honest.

There was another woman behind Lana.

“Hi, I’m Chana,” I greeted her. Her posture was closed, but her shoulders relaxed as I smiled.

“Deirdre, pleasure.” Curt works.

I stepped aside and she reached for water. There was another person, a man, now coming toward the water cooler. I cupped my water with both hands out of handshake fears, smiled, and nodded politely as he approached.

“Oh, he’s here.” Lana stood straighter.

The rest of the room had gone silent. I looked to the door. A tall man, with slicked-back thinning hair and too-snug clothing had entered. I kinda recognized him thanks to Yehudis’s book. Cliff Grantes.

“Hello, and welcome to my Public Speaking Master Class.” Cliff held his arms out like he was offering hugs. “Please everyone, find a seat so we can get started. We have so much to cover, and I can’t wait.”

His enthusiasm sounded genuine but also modulated, like he had figured out the perfect pitch to sound authoritative and authentic. I took a seat in the back. Let the people who actually chose to be here get the good seats. Lana sat down next to me.

“I’m going to skip my introduction. If you paid for this course, you know what you’re getting.”

How much did Yehudis pay for this course? Does this mean I have to take it seriously?