Communication is a Funny Thing

Red-faced and gasping, my mouth opening and closing like a goldfish, I wonder if the Coca-Cola sign on the back wall of the diner will be the last thing I will ever see. Unable to utter a sound around the chunk of hotdog caught in my throat; I begin pounding my fists on the table, rattling silverware and spilling drinks.

Communication is a funny thing, really. You don't need words to accomplish it. Take your dog, for instance. He stands at the door, barks and looks at you. He is doing a great job of communicating, without a single word. If these efforts don't produce a response, the puddle on the floor surely will.

The busboy in the dirty apron fairly sails over a table as he swoops down on me, grabbing me around my middle and giving the pit of my stomach an almighty squeeze.

Do I express my gratitude to my rescuer for the now-silent diners to hear? Not at all! My vocabulary fails me completely! I hope my mute nodding and weak smile are sufficient reward for his heroic actions. If not, maybe the $20 I leave on the table says "Thank-you" better than words.

Word count: 199 (one word added since reported word count of 198)