Getting an Earful

Ear plugs--what a wonderful invention. In fact, they may have saved Fiorella's marriage as well as her hearing. Husband likes to watch action shows like NCIS--the ones that have sound tracks with repetitive dissonances to keep viewers on the edge of their seats--and without hearing aids, he would turn the volume up to a level that made Fio cringe or flee to another room, which irritated him. Now that Husband is wearing the hearing aids--most of the time--the matrimonial bliss has improved, but there are still times when Fiorella can't even think because of the TV volume or because she doesn't want to listen to Husband's choice of programs. Enter the ear plugs.
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Before Husband had his new aids, he would often ask Fio to repeat what she had said, and sometimes accuse her of speaking softly to give him a hard time, which she did not do. In fact, to save his pride, she developed the habit of speaking loudly and over-articulating, a habit that he called her for once he had the aids.
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Husband, who sees no reason why loud volumes should bother Fiorella, has been talking about taking her along with him on his next visit to the hearing aid store and having her hearing tested. Fio doesn't have a problem with the procedure, as she's told him before when he suggested it, but he's never followed through. Actually, Fio probably will trot off on her own one of these days to get her hearing checked because she's noticed that upper registers now sound like clashing banjos to her.