Mute but still Kicking

I've just experienced the ultimate torture. Set aside all of your nightmares, because today I lived out the worst of them. (I'm being sarcastic, so if any of you have been subjected to legitimate torture recently, forgive your humble blogger.) I can't talk. I lost my voice somehow... and there really isn't any exciting reason for it, so all of the customers that quizzed me on WHY I couldn't talk only aggravated my condition. I had to keep explaining over and over that I think I just got a sore throat or something. Finally, my boss just greeted our customers with, "Andilea losing her voice. She no talking." The reactions of customers varied from laughter, to asking me questions to verify that I was 'not talking', to clapping and cheering. See if I ever get THEM coffee again, eh? I had to lift my head a little higher so that I would show I was not in the least bit effected. What's that old saying, "Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt me."

This morning I awoke and said good morning to my cat, and it came out as a whisper. I had my morning coffee, and still... nothing. I had more morning coffee, and pine-sol-like lemon tea, and air-borne, and 5 gallons of water (no joke), and still... bleh. You cannot believe how horrible it was! I felt like a dammed waterfall, never to flow free again. I never realized until today how much I have to say and how much I long to say it.

When people learned I couldn't talk, many winced at me and said, "Oo - that must be hard for you." Thanks alot. lol - no, I was a good sport, because probably talking too much is what put me in this predicament. See? There! I admitted it!

I've heard that whispering can almost damage your throat worse, so I am very bitter towards all of my customers that insisted on my whispering instead of using my 'communication board' /expo marker board (ehem, 2 bagels and frito guy). In the morning I became so amused, though, because when I would whisper to some customers, they would whisper their answers back. Then they would look at me quizzically and say, "Why are we whispering?" That made me want to laugh so hard, but I couldn't even laugh! Aaagh! Again, the proverbial dam of sound within me, struggling to be free from its' cold hard prison of fate. I am SO excited about tomorrow, because it might bring me a step closer to releasing this pent up voice of mine.

Along time ago I signed up for a 'Women Defend Yourself' class where the tactics are, "Shock, Scream, and Run". With my great luck, that class began tonight. When 'screaming' was addressed, my instructor felt he needed to add, "But in Andrea's case, we would whisper." My first class! And my MOM had to introduce me! Wow... great humility. Regardless, I refused to let it get me down. It was really fun, because everybody was wearing these cute little belted outfits and looked all solemn. My partner winced every time I mock-punched her and we ended up laughing alot. Over all, the people at Oom Yung Doe had a great combination of easy-going approach and serious-minded techniques. It was a nice place, but my mom accidentally called it 'Oom Yung Dung'. That was another moment where I wanted to employ my awesome gasp/laughing.

Anyways, that's just a personal bit I felt like blatting all over my computer screen and hopefully yours as well. Rest assured, the second fastest thing I can do besides talking, is writing. So this is my voice... the one I've been holding in all day. Appreciate it, because when I get my voice back, I am going to be using it.