You're mid-chew on a sandwich when your colleague leans over and asks, "So what do you think about the budget proposal?" You nod enthusiastically, cheeks bulging like a hamster, and attempt to say "sounds good," but it comes out as a wet, consonant-free growl that could also mean "I'm choking." They wait politely for clarification while you perform an internal Heimlich on yourself. By the time you've swallowed, they've already moved on to three other people and forgotten they asked you anything.