NP: In the Morning of the Magicians - The Flaming Lips

Fate mocks me. Today, while I was waiting for my seminar to begin, I was sitting in the common room of Newsom Hall. Fifteen minutes before class, Kimie comes up and sits nearby. Having spoken to her once before, I had much less nervousness about striking up a conversation. The reason I hadn't before is lack of opportunity. I even had a topic: the book we're reading. Everything was perfectly set up for a conversation and the possibility of a new friend.

The problem? My voice is gone. The only way I can be heard is if I use a ridiculously low baritone, which not only makes me sound pretentious, it strains my vocal chords further. So I said nothing. I was sitting there with a pretty girl only five feet away, trapped in a prison of silence.