[honeychile]

My story: I was losing my voice, so went to the doctor's for something (mute tour guides aren't very popular) to help me. He gave me a spray to keep my throat & vocal chords wet, and told me that, each time I felt the beginnings of dry mouth, use the spray. He did NOT tell me that the spray was almost all alcohol!

The next day was a big day of tours - eight of them, each an hour long. The first tour was fine, but I had to hit the spray a couple times during the second. By the fourth tour, I was spraying my throat between each room (22 rooms!).

I remember during the fifth & sixth tour, instead of the graceful sweep of the arm that we were to use to indicate the ceiling, I was basically flopping my arm skywards, and leaning on the lecturn. By the seventh tour, I was having to think which room I was in, and actually sat down for the last few rooms. I have no memory of the last tour!

I somehow managed to get back to the house, and sprawled onto the bed. My roomie came in and said, "Honey, aren't you supposed to be parking cars tonight?" I looked up at both of her and said, "Oh, Ellen, I don't think I should drive tonight..."

The best part was, my supervisor got several letters about my tours, including a few checks for tips, saying what a wonderful tour guide I had been - "So much fun and yet so knowledgable!"!