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The phenomenon persisted for several days, interrupted two or three times by what felt like an audible “pop,” followed by a few seconds of normal hearing before the resumption of relative deafness in his right ear.
He guessed it was earwax building up, even though he had a few times used the softening oil from the hearing and communication center. So he applied the rigorous treatment his audiologist recommended: several drops in each ear for three consecutive nights.
Indeed, the hearing of his right ear improved, but an occasional “pop,” followed now by a few seconds of relative deafness, seemed to announce the continued presence of a mass of wax.
He got an appointment at the center and went in. The audiologist was, as usual, assisted by a student in training, both of them masked (like Goines) and wearing a white lab coat. The audiologist introduced her assistant as a first-year PhD candidate. Goines couldn’t fail to notice her sparkling, lively eyes.
The audiologist quietly instructed her assistant to ask Goines what brought him that day.
Goines enjoyed the assistant’s studied, professional tone in putting the question to him.
“I’m glad you asked,” he joked, his own eyes smiling brightly, and then told them why he was there.
“Has there been any pain?” asked the audiologist.
“None at all.”
While the assistant inspected Goines’ ears for wax, the audiologist entered the assistant’s observations into his records. Each ear had a significant mass of wax, with only tiny holes allowing sound to reach the drums.
The audiologist asked Goines if he was okay with the assistant’s doing the removal. He said he was and signed a form giving his consent for the procedure.
Neither woman was surprised at the masses of wax beveled out of Goines’ ear canals, but Goines was impressed. And he thought the wax was beautiful. “Earwax candles!” he exclaimed. “Do you think earwax candles could become a thing?” He asked this seriously, and added, “It could be a business opportunity.”
“Uh, I don’t think so,” said the audiologist. “Earwax consists mainly of sloughed-off dead cells. They would stink when they burned.”
Goines thought briefly of the dead cells of his entire body being cremated...someday.…
He guessed it was earwax building up, even though he had a few times used the softening oil from the hearing and communication center. So he applied the rigorous treatment his audiologist recommended: several drops in each ear for three consecutive nights.
Indeed, the hearing of his right ear improved, but an occasional “pop,” followed now by a few seconds of relative deafness, seemed to announce the continued presence of a mass of wax.
He got an appointment at the center and went in. The audiologist was, as usual, assisted by a student in training, both of them masked (like Goines) and wearing a white lab coat. The audiologist introduced her assistant as a first-year PhD candidate. Goines couldn’t fail to notice her sparkling, lively eyes.
The audiologist quietly instructed her assistant to ask Goines what brought him that day.
Goines enjoyed the assistant’s studied, professional tone in putting the question to him.
“I’m glad you asked,” he joked, his own eyes smiling brightly, and then told them why he was there.
“Has there been any pain?” asked the audiologist.
“None at all.”
While the assistant inspected Goines’ ears for wax, the audiologist entered the assistant’s observations into his records. Each ear had a significant mass of wax, with only tiny holes allowing sound to reach the drums.
The audiologist asked Goines if he was okay with the assistant’s doing the removal. He said he was and signed a form giving his consent for the procedure.
Neither woman was surprised at the masses of wax beveled out of Goines’ ear canals, but Goines was impressed. And he thought the wax was beautiful. “Earwax candles!” he exclaimed. “Do you think earwax candles could become a thing?” He asked this seriously, and added, “It could be a business opportunity.”
“Uh, I don’t think so,” said the audiologist. “Earwax consists mainly of sloughed-off dead cells. They would stink when they burned.”
Goines thought briefly of the dead cells of his entire body being cremated...someday.…
But at that moment, with the audiologist and her student assistant, he was alive. His ear canals were clear. And the assistant’s lovely eyes were shining at him even more brightly than before.
Goines thanked them for what they had done and left the center imagining artful earwax candles. For flameless display only.
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Today I think I’ll share a link to this vignette with the audiologist & her assistant whose finds inside my ear canals inspired it.
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