Dan Metzinger lost the ability to speak one fine May morning. He noticed during breakfast when he tried to say good morning to the cat and all that came out was a squeak. Dan simply shrugged and scratched the cat behind the ears. She purred and bumped his leg in that way that meant she was satisfied and went off to have a bath in a sunbeam.
His job wouldn’t be a problem Dan thought as he smiled and flashed his monthly pass that the bus driver. Being a “live help” support technician meant he spent his days typing anyway. The self-service coffee bar at the local deli got him a shot of caffeine wordlessly and the cashier never said anything to him anyway so he wouldn’t be failing to reply.
Since there was no pain in his throat, Dan decided to wait to see what happened. After a few weeks he felt his larynx get thick and stiff with disuse. Dan didn’t start to worry until the bright Sunday morning that looked like late twilight.
There’s something about this particular snippet that I find endlessly fascinating. Maybe it’s the idea that you probably could get by as a mute today, what with the internets and everything. Maybe it’s because we’ve all dreamt about waking up without some ability, sense or defining character trait. Maybe it’s just because it leaves me desperate to know what happened that bright Sunday morning.