I want to talk to him about hearing aids. I need to convince him to have them. I have no idea how I can do that. He doesn’t speak English well. And I don’t speak Swiss German. He thinks that he hears but he knows deep inside that he doesn’t, at least not as well as he used to. All of us know that. I knew it because I was there and I’m still struggling with getting out of there.

I will talk to him tomorrow. I know this is going to be difficult, not only because of the language barrier but because it’s complicated. It’s not like having glasses and everything is going to be alright. No, it’s not that simple or easy. I have to explain to him in detail what he needs to do to hear better and what he should tell people to hear them better.

I also need to remind myself about what I should keep telling everyone and never give up. I need to remind myself not to nod unintentionally when someone says something and I don’t catch that.

It’s my right to ask them to repeat what they say. It’s my right to have a second chance to hear what I couldn’t hear or to hear right what I mishear.

Whoever doesn’t want to repeat shouldn’t talk to me from the beginning. I will not accept “never mind” as an answer. I will not tolerate being subbed.