At this very moment, I am sitting outside at a huge outdoor concert with an audience of 6000. There are some famous singers and a well known orchestra........... What a noise! However whilst all of the audience have smiles on their faces, I want to stick my fingers in my ears.
Try turning your television to the loudest volume it will go to and listen to how distorted it sounds. Now also turn the volume up as loud as it will go on your radio and change the channel between one programme and another until you hear really loud crackling noises. Probably a better description is when you listen to music coming through massive speakers (ie at parties, concerts etc) when there is a sudden deafening, screeching noise. The sound is painful in my ear. For a second I wish I am completely deaf in both ears but then realise what I have just thought and immediately tell myself off.
Although some of the performers are clearer than others, I've decided to take my hearing aids out. I can't hear a lot of the music now despite being fairly near the front, but I am relieved to not have the pain in my ear anymore. I am reminded of when I went to Mamma Mia a few weeks ago when I felt the vibrations of the music through the floor. Here the music is obviously loud as I can feel the strong vibrations go up my entire body. Unfortunately the difference is that I know Abba music far better than I do Aled Jones (unless he had sung "The Snowman", which he surprisingly didn't!) for example, which does help!
As you can tell, I've given up. I've got my phone out and I am writing this post for my blog.
Later in the evening, everyone starts waving their Union Jack flags (given out at the start of the evening). I realise what is being sung and quickly pick up the vibrations of "Rule Britannia" through my feet. I immediately put my hearing aids back on. I immerse myself back into the concert. Just as the orchestra stops playing, my feet reveal the "Sailor's Hornpipe", a favourite of mine which always makes me smile.
When I was at school I was told that when writing a story, the beginning, middle and end are always the most important parts. Thankfully this evening has been that way too.
