Recently, however, the volume of their sound system is turned up so loud that I have simply stopped going there. It is painful to me to be blasted with deafening sound coming from the speakers while trying to enjoy the movie. The last time I was there, months ago, I asked the waitress if the sound could be lowered. For about two minutes they complied and then it was blasting away again.
Yesterday I decided to take matters into my own hands. I wanted to see Meryl Streep in 'The Iron Lady', which was playing there, so in the afternoon I went to the pharmacy and bought myself a pair of ear plugs! I felt a little odd sitting there with these in my ears, but I could hear everything perfectly well without fear of losing my hearing.
I have had a similar problem at wedding receptions where, again, apparently everyone but me is deaf. Volume that makes my teeth ache seems to be the norm in these situations. I had to resort to stuffing bits of napkin in my ears on that occasion, which looked even funnier than the ear plugs.
It is not unusual to pass someone on the street who is using ear buds and hearing what they are hearing. When I was recently in Puerto Rico, cars would drive past my condo playing the radio so loud I couldn't hear my own television. And I was on the sixth floor on the side of the building away from the street.
Hearing is a sense that should be preserved not shattered, especially for a musician. I feel very fortunate at age 82 that my hearing is still is very good shape. I just want to keep it that way.
I think that we will have an entire generation of deaf people if this concept of louder is better continues.
So get yourselves some earplugs and go to the movies!
