Friday, October 2, 2009

Where did your voice go?


September 26 is International Act Like a Mime Day. You paint your face white and black like a mime's, and no talking- not even the teachers can talk for the entire day!!!Everyone has to participate in all the activities!!! Everybody!!! Here's how it happened:


I once went to my school's football game with some friends. Our school colors are black and white; we are the Des Moines Dalmatians. Everyone was dressed appropriately for the game. I had black and white face paint on to be the ultimate fan. Earlier that day, my throat had been hurting and it was still sore. My mom told me not to yell too much so I wouldn't hurt my throat more. I didn't listen - 45 seconds left of the game and we were tied with the visitors. I had to shout! Suddenly, my voice cracked. I tried to speak, but couldn't. My mom's going to kill me, I thought in exasperation. My friend asked, "What's wrong?"

I replied in a very hoarse whisper, "I think I lost my voice." She told me to act out everything I wanted to say so I wouldn't hurt my voice any more than I already had. Apparently I looked pretty funny because she started cracking up. My best friend said, "You look like a mime." And so International Act Like a Mime Day was born. We did it every September 26. Others started seeing us do it and they wanted to try it too. Before we knew it, it was a Des Moines Dalmatians tradition. One year, we had a foreign exchange student attending our school and she thought it was cool. She took it home with her to Japan. The story spread, the tradition took hold there too, and it soon became an international phenomenon.

Anna R.

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