Wednesday, March 16, 2011

Rendered Speechless

I misplaced my voice late Saturday night and it has yet to turn up.

This wasn't an issue Sunday or Monday as I had little desire or need to talk to anyone and when I needed to talk to Lex, he could just read my lips...or, you know, pretend like he was understanding me but not really listening because sometimes he does that anyway.

On Monday night though, I discovered I could speak if I lowered my voice down into its lowest range which, if you recall, is a bass. Occasionally, I would get stuck on certain sounds - literally stuck as in stuttering - knowing the sounds weren't going to come out. I would sound like this, "some o, nd th t fffffffff-uck it." *sigh*

Lex laughed at me. He said I sounded like I was a not nice name.

Now, as upsetting as this has been to me because, well, I am after all, me, and I like to talk, and not talking for going on 4 days has been tough, it's been even more upsetting to Vinny.

For those of you who don't know, Vinny is highly gifted. And by highly gifted I mean sensitive. And by sensitive I mean he's a high-strung pansy.

I hadn't realized how much I talk to this damn cat. I talk and sing and chase him around the house and chatter at him incessantly. He chatters back. We have a rapport. Normally, when I'm sick, he's all up in my grill and won't leave me alone with his cuddly comfort.

But this time? I noticed on Sunday he wouldn't come cuddle with me. He might lie near me - on the bed or on the floor next to the couch - but he wouldn't cuddle with me and he kept his eyes on me at all times. I thought maybe he was just being vigilant...

Until last night when I figured out what was really happening. He's afraid of me.

When I cough, I sound like a loud, barking dog and he runs away with a bushy tail.

When I try to talk to him, he doesn't recognize my voice and he runs away and seeks solace in Lex's room.

Today, he's been trying to talk to me...a lot. He's been crying and rubbing up on me and asking me to hold him but then when I try to talk back to him, he runs off. We tried to nap together and I coughed and he got scared and ran off.

I look like his mom but I don't sound like his mom and I'm making awful monster noises.

He wants me to be back to normal.

Yeah. You and me both, Kiddo. You and me both.

Maybe tomorrow?

1 comment:

Diva said...

Glad you're feeling better, even if Vinny is truly a scaredy cat. *smile*