Staring is profusely overrated.
I remember holding contests. It was a very popular pastime when I was a child, eyeing a friend down until one of you blinked. Matt Rebidue actually passed out in a staring contest when I was twelve. He thought you had to hold your breath. Unfortunate. Sad story. At that age, in that moment, I’m certain I could have mustered up no greater wish than to actually have a frozen face. One that would mesmerize and perplex my friends into fits of jealous passion.
Now, years later, a face forbidden movement is much less than a treasure. I know. I caught the Palsy.
Bell’s Palsy, that is. Through the wondrous adventure of speaking at pre-teen camps, I somehow caught a virus that (through the comforting head pressure of an air flight) turned into an earache that felt distinctly like some form of torture from the Vietnam War. The virus mixed with the infection caused my brain to swell (more than normal) and eventually paralyzed the left side of my face.
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