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Description
Today's client was a bit more unusual than my normal ones. It was a former musician, player of the saxophone and percussionist. His hearing had been permanently damaged in a car accident, and so he was all but deaf. Needless to say, his career had gone downhill from that point. I had since long been a fan of his jazz, and sympathized when he got hurt. He had accepted my request to speak with him.
   "Would you like some tea?" James spoke loudly, as if I would not hear him otherwise.
   "Yes, please." James seemed to understand, as he turned to his friend.
   "Jane, would you?"
   "Of course," she responded. She disappeared into the kitchen. I was unsure what to do at the moment, having no one around to translate my speech.
   "Don't worry", James said. "I can read lips. Just speak slowly, and I'll understand."
   I nodded. "OK. So tell me of the accident. What happened?"
   "Well, I was driving on the highway, when a car came out of nowhere and collided with mine. It all happened so fast. I feel unconscious immediately, and woke up in a hospital bed, with a loud ringing in my ears. But that was all I heard. No voices, no feet walking, nothing. Just that ringing. I wondered what had happened."
   Jane came in with tea and poured me a cup. "We were so worried about James, we thought he had died. It took eighteen hours for him to wake up."
   "What happened afterward? Did you realize that you had lost your hearing?" I was worried James would not understand me, but I spoke slowly and he seemed to grasp my meaning.
   "It took me a few days to take in what had happened. At this time, I had not yet learnt to read lips, so I didn't understand anyone. That was the hardest part. I could speak to them - or at least try, as I couldn't hear myself - but I didn't hear their responses.
   'It took me several months to realize that my career as a musician was over. I hoped that my hearing would return, that it was just a temporary condition. I hoped, even when the doctors told me I shouldn't. Slowly I began to understand that I would have to put away my sax. That was the hardest loss I have ever experienced in my life. I even cried, first time since I was a boy. Music had been my companion through my entire life."
   "How have you coped with this sorrow?"
   "I still listen to music. Oh yes, bet you didn't see that one coming! You see, I have a heavy bass, so I turn on music really loud so that I can feel the vibrations. My neighbors complained, of course, which is why I moved to this reclusive little house. Here, I can turn up the volume as much as I want to.
   'It took me almost a year to listen to music again, though. It was just too painful."
   "What do you do now, when you don't perform anymore?"
   "I write lyrics. I have colleges that help me adapt them to music. Writing was something I was good at before, and still am. I try to put meaning in them, and a lot of music have been about sorrow and loss. I guess some things are hard to get over, even in the years that have passed. I still feel burdened by the road that my life has taken, and anger at that driver who couldn't see where he was going. This isn't right. I'm a damn good musician, and now that has been taken away from me."
   "I'm very sorry."
   "Thank you, but the truth is, I can do nothing about it now. No need to be bitter, although my heart plays a different tune. Now…I feel tired. It is not often that I talk about my music like this. I would like you to leave, if you don't mind. I need…to think."
   "Of course. Thank you for seeing me, and good luck with everything."
   "Anytime, anytime. Take care."

Leaving James made me feel sad. He had lost so much, and was carrying grief all over his features. I felt sorry for him. The anger he felt was completely justified, and I wondered if I would be so calm and gentle if someone had taken my life away from me. I could only pray I wouldn't find out. I hoped James would find a new passion in life that he could turn to. He was a good man. He deserved it.

Description
Today's client was a bit more unusual than my normal ones. It was a former musician, player of the saxophone and percussionist. His hearing had been permanently damaged in a car accident, and so he was all but deaf. Needless to say, his career had gone downhill from that point. I had since long been a fan of his jazz, and sympathized when he got hurt. He had accepted my request to speak with him.
   "Would you like some tea?" James spoke loudly, as if I would not hear him otherwise.
   "Yes, please." James seemed to understand, as he turned to his friend.
   "Jane, would you?"
   "Of course," she responded. She disappeared into the kitchen. I was unsure what to do at the moment, having no one around to translate my speech.
   "Don't worry", James said. "I can read lips. Just speak slowly, and I'll understand."
   I nodded. "OK. So tell me of the accident. What happened?"
   "Well, I was driving on the highway, when a car came out of nowhere and collided with mine. It all happened so fast. I feel unconscious immediately, and woke up in a hospital bed, with a loud ringing in my ears. But that was all I heard. No voices, no feet walking, nothing. Just that ringing. I wondered what had happened."
   Jane came in with tea and poured me a cup. "We were so worried about James, we thought he had died. It took eighteen hours for him to wake up."
   "What happened afterward? Did you realize that you had lost your hearing?" I was worried James would not understand me, but I spoke slowly and he seemed to grasp my meaning.
   "It took me a few days to take in what had happened. At this time, I had not yet learnt to read lips, so I didn't understand anyone. That was the hardest part. I could speak to them - or at least try, as I couldn't hear myself - but I didn't hear their responses.
   'It took me several months to realize that my career as a musician was over. I hoped that my hearing would return, that it was just a temporary condition. I hoped, even when the doctors told me I shouldn't. Slowly I began to understand that I would have to put away my sax. That was the hardest loss I have ever experienced in my life. I even cried, first time since I was a boy. Music had been my companion through my entire life."
   "How have you coped with this sorrow?"
   "I still listen to music. Oh yes, bet you didn't see that one coming! You see, I have a heavy bass, so I turn on music really loud so that I can feel the vibrations. My neighbors complained, of course, which is why I moved to this reclusive little house. Here, I can turn up the volume as much as I want to.
   'It took me almost a year to listen to music again, though. It was just too painful."
   "What do you do now, when you don't perform anymore?"
   "I write lyrics. I have colleges that help me adapt them to music. Writing was something I was good at before, and still am. I try to put meaning in them, and a lot of music have been about sorrow and loss. I guess some things are hard to get over, even in the years that have passed. I still feel burdened by the road that my life has taken, and anger at that driver who couldn't see where he was going. This isn't right. I'm a damn good musician, and now that has been taken away from me."
   "I'm very sorry."
   "Thank you, but the truth is, I can do nothing about it now. No need to be bitter, although my heart plays a different tune. Now…I feel tired. It is not often that I talk about my music like this. I would like you to leave, if you don't mind. I need…to think."
   "Of course. Thank you for seeing me, and good luck with everything."
   "Anytime, anytime. Take care."

Leaving James made me feel sad. He had lost so much, and was carrying grief all over his features. I felt sorry for him. The anger he felt was completely justified, and I wondered if I would be so calm and gentle if someone had taken my life away from me. I could only pray I wouldn't find out. I hoped James would find a new passion in life that he could turn to. He was a good man. He deserved it.