“Hold fast, then, to this sound and wholesome rule of life-that you indulge the body only so far as is needful for good health.” Seneca

They had been the best of friends in high school
Yet they went their separate ways after graduation.
Doug went to college and then enlisted.
He thought it his duty.

Rob stayed in town working odd jobs.
Milton went to college becoming an accountant.
Earl farmed and Bobby followed the company transfers
That led him from home to home all over the country.

They told their stories and laughed hard
At the ridiculousness of their adolescent ways.
For Doug, though, the night was a struggle
Since he couldn’t hear a word.

Not that the guys noticed,
Doug was great at picking up on the signals
When they smiled or laughed,
He smiled or laughed.

They didn’t know how frustrated he was with the coeds behind him
Who the guys thought were awesome, but
The young women were loud and prone to group talk
Where the all spoke at the same time, none listening to the others.

The roar of their conversations kept Doug further out of the loop.
The awful autotune, shallow lyric, fake country music was not helping.
Gradually, Doug felt like he was next to Niagara Falls,
He began to drift.

Doug just stared absently.
He quit faking it. He was checked out.
The others noticed.
“You all right, Doug?” asked Bobby.