A Week Without Words- Day Two

Say "Hello" to: Day Two!

Well, type, write, or sign it. Still not speaking. Still enjoying the heck out of this experiment.

I went to my favourite Starbucks to get my early morning Cinnamon Dolce Soy Latte. I planned ahead, and woke up early, because things like ordering coffee, tend to take a little longer when you have to find new ways of getting your message across. I prepared a note on my phone that said:

"Hello. My name is Shannyn. Sorry for any inconvenience, but I am trying a little experiment in which I am not audibly speaking for a week. Could I please get a grande Cinnamon Dolce Soy Latte? No whipped cream, thanks :)"

The barista looked at my phone for a minute, puzzled, and then looked up and gave me a huge grin. "That is the coolest thing ever!" she said. "I don't think I could stop talking for a week! I would go crazy!" I smiled back, nodded yes, motioned to myself, and pointed my fingers at my head and rotated them in circles, as if to show her I agreed. It has been crazy! She laughed and said "I'll have this right out for you, Shannyn." 

The next notable event happened at lunch time. I had to go to the bank. I wanted to deposit a check, and get $50 back in cash. Because of the short amount of time I have for lunch, and the distance between my work, and the nearest Wells Fargo, I decided to drive through. I filled out the deposit slip, and wrote a note on the side saying "Could I please get $50 of this in cash?" initialed the note, and sent it through the tube. The teller took a look at everything, and then asked "So you want $50 in cash?" I could see her in the window, so I nodded "yes." Then she asked "Do you know Shannyn's birthday?" Not sure why she was asking if I knew my own birthday, or rather "Shannyn's" birthday. (lol) It was on the deposit slip, and on the ID that I had provided. This really threw me off. I pointed at myself and gave her a questioned look. She said "Oh, you're Shannyn! Duh!" At this point, I probably looked at her like she was stupid. (Oops.) But I have a hard time feeling bad for that expression because she then asked, (out loud) "Omg, are you deaf?!" I slowly shook my head "no." She mumbled "Oh shit..." and returned the tube with my cards, and money, inside. I tried hard not to laugh, as we waved goodbye.

Chick-fil-a, was on the way back to work, so I stopped there for lunch. Three things you must know about Chick-fil-a: 1) It's freaking awesome. 2) There is only one even remotely close to where I work/live. 3) Everybody in the world wants to eat lunch at this place exactly when I do. Like seriously, it is always insanely busy. Again, I went inside to order. (Drive-thrus just seem sooo out of my league now) I typed a note on my phone, saying, what I would like, and giving my name for the order. For whatever reason, it had slipped my mind to include the part about this being an experiment. The guy at the register was pretty young. He looked at my phone, typed in the order, at pointed at the register to show me how much it would be. He kind of whispered "Is this for here?" (pointing down, and then around the restaurant,) "or to go?" (pointing outside.) I smiled, and pointed outside. He too, assumed I couldn't hear. He gave me a thumbs up. I smiled, admiring his silent efforts to communicate with me. 

On the way home, I stopped at Fry's to get a case of water. The people there are generally rude, and I don't usually like to go there, but it is by my house. I went through a regular check out line, as opposed to a self-check-out. The cashier didn't say anything, except "$3.98, your change is over there. Have a great day." I walked out, a little bummed that I wouldn't have anything cool to write, but I guess it just shows how different people can be. 

When HoneyBadger and I went outside for our evening stroll, the little girls met us at the bottom of the stairs, eager to say hello. "HoneyBee!!!" One of the girls squealed, "Princess HoneyBee, and the Fairy Queen! You're the Fairy Queen, okay girl?!" I smiled, and nodded, as if to say "Okay." Then she asked "What is your name, anyway?" I thought for a minute, uncertain about how to respond. I had left my phone inside, and I wasn't sure if these girls were old enough to read anyway... So I did what any decent mime would do. I used my fingers to zip my lips shut, and then thew away the key! "Ohhhhh Nooooo!!" The girl screamed, as she threw herself onto the ground. Her friends looked at her like she was possessed, and I must admit, I kind of did too. With a dramatic I-just-fainted / back-of-her-hand to her forehead, motion, she exclaimed in a breathy voice "She's been cursed! The mean, mean, witch has taken away her voice forever!!" ***Pause*** "GO! HIDE! NOW! BEFORE THE WITCH FINDS US TOO!" All four girls screamed, and ran under the stairs. 

I was thoroughly impressed. That kid has quite a future in acting. 

Later on, I received a few texts from people wanting to hang out. Their reactions to my vow were all very different. After explaining what I was doing, I got responses such as:

1) Why in the world are you not speaking?

2) That's really cool! I want to do that! Well actually, no, haha you can just do it and tell me about it.

3) How are we supposed to hang out if you won't even talk?

4) That could quite possibly be the stupidest thing I have heard all day. lol

5) Well actually, something came up, let's hang out next week.

I pretty much came to the conclusion that people just didn't understand. That's okay. I don't really have a reason for doing this. I'm not protesting anything. I'm not sick. It isn't a religious commitment. I can't really expect others to understand. I'm just very interested in everything. I am constantly wanting to learn about everything, (specifically people, and how/why we react to things the way we do) and this, so far, is working for me.