Ben lives across the hall.
He is hard of hearing.
How hard is a matter
up for debate.
There are variables,
such as:
the person speaking,
the subject of the conversation,
the time of day.
He has saved himself
from unpleasantness
more than once
by walking away,
seemingly oblivious to
the discussion taking place,
claiming later it was the fault
of his old man ears.
I think he is clever
in a twinkly and not at all
mean-spirited way.
I think I might be getting
a little hard of hearing myself.
You know, just like Ben.