As is true for many people of my years, my hearing has deteriorated.  I’m okay when conversing face to face with a person, but I have difficulty in a crowded room – especially with a person on my left.  I have a hearing aid but often fail to wear it.

If I do not hear a person clearly,  I will usually ask them to repeat.  At other times I smile and pretend to hear.  That’s going to get me in serious trouble someday. For instance, I friend might say to me, “My brother died yesterday” and I smile and respond with a “That’s nice.”

Perhaps the worst response is to take a stab at a word you cannot quite understand.  That can lead to some hilarious misunderstandings.  I remember my dear father overhearing a conversation between my mother and her maid about how to clean a particular object.  I’m not certain what they were actually saying, but his interpretation will never be forgotten.

“PULVERIZED VINEGAR!   Who ever heard of such a thing?