Chatterbox No More.

Monday, 7:45am

Buzzzzzzzzz.  The bus stop was noisy this morning.  Kids yelling, whacking each other with their knapsacks, three dogs being doggy, parents chatting.  I just smiled.  When one of the Moms asked me how my weekend was, I gave her the tried-and-true finger across the throat:

She understood immediately:  "Sick?"
I shook my head, then reconsidered and gave her the comme ci, comme ça move (stick out right hand, palm down, and rotate wrist gently to the left and right).  Conversation effectively over.

My vow of silence prevents unwanted, unnecessary conversation very nicely.  Small talk be damned, from now on I think I'll just utilize the "finger across the throat" trick whenever I don't feel like talking.  Like when I run into that annoying knitter in the Willage.  And yes, I know what you're thinking... that I am also an annoying knitter.

Monday, 10:00am - The Slip-up

There I was walking the dog, minding my own business.  A fellow blogger stopped me in the street and told me that he had read (and liked!) my Canada Writes story, Regrowth.  I was speechless! ---- get that?

!!  hahahahahahahahahhahahahhahahahahha

hahahhahahahahhahahahahahahahahha

hahahhahahahhahahahhahahahaha !!

Okay, that joke was probably NOT that funny, but humour me.  

So as I said, I was speechless.  Here are my reasons:

1)  I hardly know this person and I certainly wasn't aware that he reads my blog
2)  He liked my story!  And he took the time to compliment me on it.  I was thrilled!
3)  It was the first time that I have had my writing acknowledged in public.  It made me really happy.

And so even though I was speechless, I spoke to him briefly, using my actual vocal cords (just to thank him and tell him that I had taken a vow of silence).


Monday, 5:00ish

People don't like the silent Christine; I can tell.  Nathaniel said:  "will you just speak already?".  Gwen has also implored me to resume speaking and R is really exasperated with me.  I don't give a rat's ass.  Gwen wrote this in my journal tonight at dinner:

Awww.  Almost makes me want to speak.

******************

Other Slip-ups: Yesterday and Today

• I said thank you to the cashier in the grocery store
• I swore out loud, but that was just to myself so it doesn't really count
• I answered the telephone. I had to! I talked briefly.  Necessary indiscretion.  
• I drank a glass of wine, and promptly forgot about my vow.  I remembered as soon as I opened my mouth
• Tonight after Nathaniel refused to do homework, whined and cried and turned his back on me, told me that he was no longer reading my words and then hit me on the way home FROM TAKING HIM TO GET A BLOODY ICE CREAM CONE, I told him to "get the fuck in the tub".  Again, not proud.

I'll see what hell tomorrow brings.  

Soundtrack:  You Talk Too Much by Frankie Ford

My Dad used to sing this song to me.