Thanksgiving dinner with a primitive

conservativecave.com ^ | November 27, 2009 | franksolich

[franksolich]

Oh my.

The other week, the neighbor, who lives six miles up the road, stopped by and invited me to two Thanksgiving dinners; one on Thanksgiving Day itself, the other the day after.

He was obviously hoping I would attend both of them--after all, there's not many people in this area of the Sandhills of Nebraska--but I got the sense he really wanted me to come today (Friday), if I wasn't willing to do the Thanksgiving Day thing, too.

Well, no, I wasn't willing to do the Thanksgiving Day thing, but I was curious about this day-after-Thanksgiving event, and so said yes.

The neighbor is a farmer, in his late 30s; some service in the National Guard, a bachelor's degree in economics from the University of Nebraska, and a master's degree in mathematics from Northwestern University in Illinois.

The neighbor's wife is a stay-at-home mother, in her late 20s; an Air Force brat, a bachelor's degree in chemistry from the University of Missouri, and a dental hygiene degree from the University of Nebraska. She and her husband have three children, twin 4-year-old heiresses and one heir a year old, and a fourth on the way in February.

The neighbors are decent and civilized people, salt of the earth, although she has red hair, and due to some long-forgotten childhood trauma, I've always been nervous about redheads. She however is very nice, and an expert horsewoman.

The other day, I reminded the neighbor I was coming over the day after Thanksgiving, and asked if anything special might be going on.

Yeah.

It was their turn to take care of Aunt Sunshine, and they were happy I would show up to help.

[franksolich]

Maybe I'm missing something but if the writer of this post is deaf, how is it that he can remember the conversation around the dinner table so vividly?

Body language, reading lips, and somesuch, sir.

Actually in real life, it's pretty pathetic. I was there for three hours, and a lot was said, but those few points were the only things I could grasp.

I'm always kicking myself for the 90% that I do miss.

[SamAdams76]

OK, just curious. I’m hearing impaired in that when there is background noise (like loud music), it is almost impossible for me to keep involved in a conversation. So I can relate in part to the frustration of missing most of what is being said around me.

[yellowhorse]

Just think.....you now have a whole year to look forward to seeing Aunt Sunshine again. What a miserable life she must lead.

[franksolich]

OK, just curious. I’m hearing impaired in that when there is background noise (like loud music), it is almost impossible for me to keep involved in a conversation. So I can relate in part to the frustration of missing most of what is being said around me.

"Background noise" is no problem for me, because I can't hear it. I can understand however, where it might be a problem for those with some, but feeble, hearing, all these indistinct sounds, leaving one wondering which is important or relevant, and which isn't.

In my case, things such as light, color, movement, are "noise," but of course I was in a house where I know intimately what's there, and where it's at, no strange "noises."

In real life, my deep penetrating concentration on another person makes those strangers to me, uncomfortable. Those who know me are on the other hand flattered, that I'm giving so much trouble and energy trying to understand them.