Hear No Evil

    

Among the many joys (!) of aging is hearing loss to some degree or other. I'm not deaf by any means, but I did finally have to get those hearing aids (which BTW could be quite costly.)

Okay, so now I have them in my ears. Easy enough to do and they seem to be helping. But when the gardener comes by with his lawn mower and leaf blower making a holy racket, do I really need to enhance that noise especially when I'm trying to nap? I start to get cranky, but then catch myself, wondering if I'm turning into the stereotype of a grouchy old lady. Yes, the gardeners are noisy, I  reason, but at least they're working and their work is making our condo more attractive. Unlike my neighbors making their holy racket by playing what they call music when all I want is a  little peace and quiet? I try to rethink that in a more positive light... but uh, uh, I need to work harder on it.   

And what about the too often awful news that is repeated all day over all the air waves. Don't get me wrong, we must all keep ourselves informed of the goings on, here and overseas, but all day and night long beginning from early in the morning!

I know that you're all thinking, "So genius, shut the television and the radio off." "Simple. Yeah, but what about the people,friends, family? How are you gonna shut them off ! For example, on the phone Alice said,  "Did you hear that horrible news about the Ebola patient?" Seriously? I thought, if you're on the planet Earth, you have.

"What?" I shouted. 

"Ebola!" she repeated in a much louder voice.

"Still can't hear you," I shouted even louder. She repeated herself. I repeated myself,

She waved her hand, "Forget it. How about going for lunch later," she said, in a normal tone of voice.

"Sure,lets," I answered, also in a normal tone of voice, "about 1:30?"

At lunch we had a pleasant  time catching up on all the news, her new apartment, the grand-kids, one starting college, one with a new baby...aah. All good things.

After lunch she said , "Good to see you: and by the way..." she laughed,  "I get it, your selective deafness."

"What?. My what...selective what?" I shouted.

"It's okay, I see them.." She pointed to my ears, "When did you get them?"

"Yesterday. But you're not supposed to see them, they told me no one would..." I shrugged, "oh who cares!"  

"So, how are they?" she asked.

"Good, they're helping me." 

"She laughed, "I knew it. All that 'what?' stuff!"

"I know, I just couldn't talk about Ebola any more...and people don't understand."

She smiled, "I'm not 'people'."

"No, you're not," I said. "By the way, how are you getting along with your new daughter- in-law?"

"What!" She cupped her ear and shouted, "What? I can't hear you!!"  

                                                         THE END