In celebration of the occasion my wife and I arranged a River Cruise with an afternoon tea on board. Being the day of the underground strike the traffic was terrible in London (perhaps it always is!). We got to the boat just in time. It was a warm day and we had seats by the open windows in the breeze. I could feel the boat engine through my feet and my brain told me what it sounded like even though, in reality, I couldn't actually hear it. What I could hear was the conversation at the next table and every bang, crash and chink of the plates, cups and knives and forks. It seemed impossible for anyone to put their cutlery down quietly. Even stirring the tea was noisy. I was pleased the traffic noise was not audible but the sharp metallic high frequency sounds that I had not perceived for so long were everywhere. Fortunately I had been set at a low and comfortable level of hearing because some of those sounds were abrupt and intense. I was not so aware of the lower frequencies which came across as long vowels, as apposed to the sharp consonants. The lack of tone variation made them sound like unpleasant whining children.
After enduring several stirred cups of tea with the sandwiches and cake we went up on deck to see Tower Bridge raised for a tall sailing barge. The engine vibration was absent there and so I felt no noise from it. We were also far away from the plates thrown into the washing up sink. I could tell people were talking but not where they were. When my wife spoke close to me her voice came through clear amongst the fog of noises.
Homeward again
The journey home on the train consisted of eavesdropping on other people's conversations but the background noise of the train interfered with the earlier precision. I needed to concentrate much harder and use some lip reading to help out. As I became relaxed by the ease and comfort of new sounds I noticed I slipped back into my normal self. Looking directly at speakers and objects to identify them. Even though I didn't always need to.
At home
I sat at home at the computer and as I was alone in the house all was still and quiet. That is, except for a constant strange noise beating regularly and persistently from some unknown thing and direction. I sent my wife a text message asking what this distracting nuisance was. She informed me it was the clock over the mantelpiece. We have had it for ten years and I never knew it ticked!
So finally the day ended. Full of amazement, discoveries, surprises and, at times, confusion with bewilderment. Not bad for my first day.
No comments:
Post a Comment