talk to my right ear

I’d have to see a doctor soon. Of course I should have realised this before, but I always had faith in what is often called “self-medication.” I like fixing things, including my own body organs.

However, self-help does not work all the time. I should have known that. My friends Nuraldin and Josef told me so.

For nearly a month now, my left ear has refused to work normally. This has been since I moved into my new apartment and developed the habit of sleeping on my left side. Since I rarely move an inch when I’m asleep, I would always be stuck in that same position the whole night.

After a few days, my left ear must have got tired of being scrunched up against the pillow and decided to go on sick leave. I started not being able to hear from my left ear, unless I yank it sideways. I think a small bone got dislocated somewhere inside. Grade school wisdom says the ear has the three smallest bones in the human body.

In any case, I thought this ailment was actually a blessing in disguise. Now, I could choose when to listen and when not to listen. Listening is a pain. A woman on the bus stop blabs about her boyfriend’s proclivities and I politely turn a “blind ear” to her. In the coffee shop queue, a sad little person was verbally abusing the cashier and I turn my “blind ear” to his noise.

Lately, however, I started not hearing at all from my left ear, even when I yank it sideways. Crossing the street now has to be done with exaggerated carefulness. The clock’s alarm volume had to be exponentially raised. Talking to certain soft-spoken people became a painful chore.

A few days ago, over dinner, I told my former officemate Bubbly Dacer about my condition. She has gone through three different medical operations and is regarded as an authority about strange ailments. When I finished telling her about my blind ear, she said, “You should see a doctor.”

“I know,” I said, in the most defeated tone that I can muster.

“No, no,” she replied and then smiled. She whipped up her Blackberry and showed me a Facebook profile page. “He’s the doctor who treated a friend of my cousin’s brother-in-law.”

I stole a glance at the photo. Then I quickly scanned the rest of the page.

My friends Nureldin and Josef were right. I should see a doctor soon.

*Photo is from The Last King of Scotland, with James McAvoy