Today there was a State of the Division Address for the Division of Administration, and my office (all four of us) were in attendance. The Vice President for Administration was giving the address, and his speech was going great.
Until he froze. At first I thought that he had lost his place in from his notes, or was trying to collect himself. Then the silence extended too long for such a pause. Several people went to him on the stage to try and assist, but most people, myself included, sat in shocked silence.
Dr. McClendon has diabetes, and was having a brief episode. He recovered fairly quickly, and progressed with his speech.
What struck me most about his episode wasn't his freeze (since it was temporary and he recovered quickly), but how everyone in the audience quickly separated into two groups- the doers and the watchers. I am ashamed to admit that I was a watcher.
I could attempt to justify myself by noting that there were multiple tables in between me and the stage, people were already up there by the time I realized that it wasn't just a pause, and many other things, but the fact remains. I did nothing.
I've become a perennial watcher, and a reluctant actor. And I don't like it.
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