Room Full of Rattlesnakes

I like to listen. I have learned a great deal from listening carefully. Most people never listen.
Ernest Hemingway 

I have been experiencing some hearing loss for many years.  Had just of sort of grown used to it, I suppose.  At least high-frequency loss beginning in my 20s or before and a gradual loss through the years.  Maybe from severe ear infections as a child or too much time around very noisy farm equipment, but whatever reason I definitely have impaired hearing.  

Had delayed getting hearing aids for various reasons, could still hear conversations if not in noisy settings, closed captions are on TV, hearing devices available at the theater, etc.  And vanity probably paid a bigger part than I would readily admit.  Elsewhere in Pulltight I mentioned a hearing test with the good and bad news being I could not understand female voices. It was actually a lot more than just female voices.

Last fall Nancy and I visited the Texas State Fair.  One of the highlights of the day was seeing an exhibit of all the rattlesnake species of Texas.  There are 10 species and subspecies in Texas.  I walked into the room and it was eerily silent.  I could see the snakes rattling in their wire cages, but it might as well have been a silent movie.

If our paths happen to cross you might notice I am sporting a new pair of hearing aids.  Can again hear baby birds, high pitched alarms, women and rattlesnakes (mostly good), Surprised at how noisy the world is.

Now I read that recent anecdotal evidence suggests rattlesnakes are evolving to not rattle.  It seems the ones not rattling survive longer as they are not captured by predators or man.  I have invested in a rather expensive pair of hearing aids.  But, my chance now of stepping on a non-rattling rattler while walking around the limestone hills around Paluxy seems to be an increasing probability.  Maybe I should get a new pair of snake proof boots to supplement my hearing aids

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