WHAT? HUH? EXCUSE ME!

by rmk

     They keep telling me, “Get your ears checked”.  Well, why?  I can hear (enough).  I am not hard of hearing.  People, for some unknown reason, have simply chosen to speak in a softer tone, and to speed up their delivery.

 

     I haven’t gotten my ears checked since I was about 12.  The diagnosis then was I needed to pay better attention.  See, it is not an old age affliction.  I have possessed it for years and have simply built upon it.  I do have a slight (big) problem with being offered a $1,000 credit toward a hearing aid.  If they can afford a $1,000 coupon, how much is the finished product?  Slightly frightening.  I am aware that anyone passing our house can hear what television program we are watching.  We haven’t turned on the subtitle button as yet, but it’s getting close.  That or change up the caliber of programs we tune into so the neighbors have a better opinion of us.

 

    Now if just one of the events mentioned in the first paragraph was occurring, I could keep up.  But putting a double whammy on me is not fair.  The softer tone requires more concentration on my part.  Aha, that troublesome word again.  Now that could be the problem.  In order to receive my full attention, thus, my concentration, one needs to inform my ears that incoming words are on the way.

 

     The ears will then zero in on the words being thrown at me.  About the speed of the incoming words!  Why is everyone in such a hurry?  My receptors need to process what they are receiving.  That way, they can pass the words from my “ear receptors” to my “response processors”.  People need to slow down and speak up.  Not an impossible request.

 

     I do need to practice responding with an “excuse me” or “pardon me” instead of the constant “huh”.  “Huh” drives my family nuts.  Excuse me!