Vernacular Spectacular

The government has allotted us each 257 words per day. It may not seem like much, but it's quite enough once you get the hang of it. "I'm thirsty. May I have a Coca Cola, please?" becomes "Coke?" "How are you doing today?" is easily replaced with a smile and a nod. I haven't heard a preposition, article, or adjective in years. Still, some people use up all their words by mid day, and spend their evenings in silence. Me, I save all mine up. I walk around in silence day and night, not wasting a single syllable if I can help it. I save them all, every one, every day, for when I call you in the afternoons, so we can talk about our days, so I can tell you jokes and hear you laugh. Sometimes I call, and you pick up the phone, but there is only silence. You've used up all your words for today. So I hold the phone close and whisper "I love you" 85 and 2/3 times. I hear you smile, and that is enough.