as francis traveled about on foot, people would sometimes stop to talk about what he was doing, and he often found himself arguing with them, as well as with friends and acquaintances, about his decision to go on foot. on his birthday in 1973, francis decided to stop speaking as a gift to his community, to not argue for one day and instead listen to what others had to say. he found this so valuable that he continued to be silent the next day. this continued and he ended up not speaking for 17 years, with the exception of a phone call to his mother after 10 years of silence. during this time, he communicated by writing and gestures, and also expressed himself by playing the banjo. he ended his vow of silence on earth day in 1990. the following day, while in washington, d.c. he was struck by a car. he managed to convince the ambulance crew to allow him to walk to the hospital.