Silence doesn’t find place there. Is there ever lack of commotion on a sea-shore? Some children run forward when the waves recede and when the tide swells they run towards the sand.

A father is trying to take her little daughter towards the sea but she is too scared to move. The father tries to assure her, “Nothing will happen; I am here with you, my dear.”

The vendors are shouting and selling their goods, mostly snacks and pop-corns. The beach is crowded with people in different dresses, all happy and enjoying themselves.

I am a dumb spectator, for I can’t hear. To me everything seems to be a part of a silent movie, as if watching TV on mute mode. There is eerie silence around me.

I lost my power of hearing very gradually. At first, they had to shout if they wanted to tell me something but of late I have felt that the silence is growing. They have brought a hearing-aid for me but it does not help.

I said to my son, “Son, I can’t hear anything now.”

“One has to speak loudly to make you listen. Why do you keep this plug out of your ear? You should always use this hearing aid,” said the son, inserting the plug in my left ear.

I had become quite habitual to reading their lips and I could, more or less, understand what they were saying.

“No, my son, this machine does not help at all,” said I.

Using the sign language, he said to me, “All right, we shall see a doctor tomorrow.”

Ten days have already passed but my son has not been able to spare some time for me. Once I reminded me and he nodded. He does not understand how hellish this deafness happens to be for a retired person. Once, I told my daughter-in-law but she answered, “What difference does it make whether you listen or not? You can do without that.”

My wife lives with my daughter and my son-in-law. My daughter and my son-in-law have their jobs. My wife stays with them to help them, for my son-in-law does not have his mother with him. I can’t talk to her on phone because her voice will not reach my ears. I have to write a letter to my wife. Though it won’t serve the purpose, it will definitely bring me some courage to face this newly developed situation.

Darkness is gradually descending and the crowd is beginning to thin. At a distance, in the tall buildings, lights have appeared. I begin to walk towards my house. I am walking with caution, for the sound of the horns does not disturb me or warn me of the approaching vehicle from behind.

Having entered the house, I find my grandson and granddaughter quarrelling with each other. My daughter-in-law is trying to mediate. In those days, when I was able to listen to their logic, I used to give them solutions but now, without any voice reaching my ears, I say, “Don’t fight with each other. It is not good.”

At about 7:00 pm, all the members of the family sit in front of TV. I don’t like the serials anymore. My daughter-in-law is very fond of family serials. When she is in the kitchen, her children watch Cartoon Network. I have no choice now. They guide my world.

My son is bent over some office files, sitting at his desk.

I begin to read Mark Twain’s Huckleberry Finn, though I have already read that book many times. I used to read that book in my childhood but they say that old and children are similar. I still enjoy reading Mark Twain. His stories bring back the memories of my childhood.

My grandchildren begin to argue over something but I don’t pay attention to them and keep reading the book.

Now, I feel that deafness has certain advantages too, though I don’t enjoy my favourite songs on my walk-man.

At night, when I am in my bed, I don’t hear the tic tic of wall clock, whirring sound of the fan, music coming from the TV. I know that I will have to adapt myself to this silence, this separation from that beautiful part of human existence, that thread of communication which brings people close and keeps them close.

A few days ago, I had read a story. The writer said that in our daily life we have to listen to so many unwanted words and on account of that we have to face troubles. According to the writer, ears should have ear-lids to keep the unwanted words away. If it were possible, the life would really be a little better.

This deafness of mine has accepted advantage: I can enjoy reading my book even in a room that is bursting with noise. I never have an argument with anyone and I have no complaints against anyone even if they criticize or speak against me. The snores of people sleeping in the same room don’t disturb me. At Diwali, the festival of lights, when they burst crackers, I pass by very comfortably without being scared.

After about one week, I reminded my son about my problem. He said, “I am enquiring about it.”

Suddenly, one day, he brought me to an E. N. T. specialist. I had to go though certain tests. The doctor said something to my son. Through my son’s gestures I understood what the doctor had said.

I said to my son, “Is an operation required?”

He nodded.

“How much will it cost?” said I.

He did not answer.

In the evening when I asked him again, he showed three fingers.

“Three thousand,” said I.

He wrote 30 on a piece of paper. I was shocked. Thirty thousand for a minor operation! I knew my financial condition. I have already spent my provident fund on the marriage of my daughter. After the retirement, I had got our own house constructed and all my savings were spent. I had to take loan from a bank. Most of my pension goes to the bank in monthly installments. My son has a private job and he, somehow, manages the house. My daughter-in-law does not have a job and she takes care of the house and the family. My son has nothing saved. I have given him only this house.

“Why do they charge so much for a minor operation of ear?” I expressed my doubt.

My son wrote, “These doctors can’t perform that operation. A doctor from other hospital will have to be summoned and he will do the rest. He will carve something inside your ear.”

I kept quiet because I realized that it would be a huge burden on the young shoulders of my son. But, on the other hand, I thought that it would be impossible to pass my remaining life in this frightening silence.

One more week passed without any further communication between us.

Sometimes, I see my son and his wife arguing, obviously, talking about my treatment. Their actions and lip movements tell me that my daughter-in-law does not want to spend that amount on my operation.

I feel as if she were saying, “It is useless to spend so much money on this old man!”

Of late I have begun to think a lot and there is no harmony in my thoughts. I keep on shifting from my views constantly.

After four days, my son wrote something on a piece of paper and handed it to me, “I met the doctor today. The time of next Sunday has been fixed for the operation.”

“But money?” said I.

He gestured that the money had been arranged.

I could not understand how he had arranged such a big amount in such a short time. He must have taken a loan from his company.

Next day I repeated the same question, “How did you arrange the money?”

“My colleagues have helped me,” wrote my son.

I was satisfied that he could pay them back some amount every month.

But very next day I got this information. A money lender, Mr. Ranga Swami, met me at the beach and said, “Has your operation been successful?”

I replied that the operation was going to be on coming Sunday but I asked him how he had known that.

I pulled a small writing pad and a pen from my pocket and gave to him.

It transpired that my son had pawned my daughter-in-law’s gold ornaments. Ranga Swami said that my son had taken a promise from him not to tell about it to anyone. According to Ranga Swami, it was the idea of my daughter-in-law.

I felt ashamed because I had always had a negative opinion about her. This kind gesture of my daughter-in-law moved me.

On Saturday, the day before my operation, my son took me to the hospital. They ran certain tests again. The senior doctor checked my blood pressure and urine report. He told my son something and my son wrote on a paper, “The doctor says that there is very little chance that you will get your hearing back. You age is an obstacle, though he has assured me that you will be able to hear a little.”

Having read that paper, I felt a bit relieved and I said to my son, “Let’s forget about the operation. I am now habitual to deafness and it does not trouble me at all. When there is no guarantee of success, why should we waste money on this operation?”

My son wanted to protest but I did not let him proceed. Thus, the operation was postponed.

That evening in my room I was thinking about my meeting with the doctor on Friday. I had met the doctor without informing my son.

I remember my words, “Doctor, please listen to me attentively. I don’t want to get my hearing back. If I tell my son, he will not listen to me and he will insist that I should go through this operation. He has borrowed money for this operation. If I refuse to him, he will be hurt. Please tell my son that there is no guarantee of the success of this operation. You will have to help me, doctor.”

The doctor had accepted my request and after that everything went as I had wanted. He told my son that there was no guarantee.

I am happy that my deafness has given me the most precious lesson. I was absolutely wrong about my daughter-in-law but now I am proud of her. I feel that I would have never learned this lesson if I had been normal with perfect hearing.