Red's Wrap
Happiness. It's relative.
99 New: Ring Ring
“Three years, Jan?”
I’d written a comment to a fellow cochlear implant recipient hoping to console him about not using the phone a month or so after his implant. Oh heck, I said, I haven’t used the phone yet three years later! And he responded by saying this.
“Three years, Jan?”
Actually, it’s probably more like seven years. I actually remember one of the last conversations I had. It was with an editor asking me very picky questions about a piece I’d written. I heard most of what he said and just said yes to the rest.
“Three years, Jan?”
I’d stopped getting embarrassed about not using the phone long ago. Screw it, I thought, it’s very hip not to use the phone these days. Everyone texts. I’d tell people I don’t conduct business on the phone so if they wanted any business-like response from me, they needed to send me an email.
“Three years, Jan?”
Telephone conversations were hell for years leading up to my cochlear implant – hell, total hell, flaming hell, indescribable hell. But much of conversational life was so it was hard to isolate the telephone as a particular evil. Still, it was one I could ditch. So I did.
“Three years, Jan?”
A cochlear implant basically replaces one’s natural ear with an electronic one. It’s programmed to hear stuff, a lot of stuff, actually it’s programmed to hear everything. So since getting a cochlear implant three years ago, there really has been no excuse for not using the telephone.
“Three years, Jan?”
My blogging friend’s comment shot right through me. What precious little duckling are you that you got a cochlear implant and you are still not using the phone? He didn’t say that, I just read it into his three-word comment. Indeed.
“Three years, Jan?”
Yeah, so, two calls in the last three days. Long ones, too. With an actual human being. Conversations like one might have in a living room. Dialogue, back and forth, shooting the breeze, gabbing. I got my little phone attachment charged up, everything synced, Bluetooth heaven, clear as a bell, yessiree. Jan is talking on the phone. But don’t call me. It’s too complex. I’ll call you.
___________________
3 Comments on “99 New: Ring Ring”
Leave a Reply
Recent Comments
 | Beth on Durant Diary: Entry #11 |
 | joviald3f8e0e214 on Durant Diary: Entry #11 |
 | Sarah Klahn on Durant Diary: Entry #11 |
 | Ruth on Durant Diary: Entry #11 |
 | Vickie on Durant Diary: Entry #11 |
Snow Door | wisconsinacademy.org
Listen to Jan read her essay “Billy” presented on WUWM’s Lake Effect
Jan’s essay “At the Breakfast Bar” on WUWM Lake Effect
Jan’s essay “The Parish Hall,” on WUWM Lake Effect
“Fury Cannot Touch Me,” Modern Love, NYT, 9/29/11
Jan, dare I think the fellow cochlear implant recipient was ME? I wasn’t trying to be a wise-en-heimer. I was impressed and, I guess, felt justified in not using the phone now (2nd month) with my cochlear implant. I’m still adjusting to its use and “relearning” how and what I hear. On the surface, it’s HALLELUJAH because of all the “new” sounds I hear for the first time in my life. I’m still fiddling with getting the parts on correctly, adjusting to TV audio and conversation with Marilyn, etc. I’ll try the phone soon to chat with my middle brother who lives in Minnesota. He also is hard of hearing and is following my progress with interest.
I’ll let you know how my phone chat goes.
Thanks for this, Jan.
Like Ksbeth I want to say wow! What a thrill. And what a way to tell what a story. The phone may yet become your friend.
wow, a huge leap back into the deep end. congrats