Making up for lost time..!

For years I've been known as a good listener, not because I love being one but just when I start replying to question or begin to give opinion I've been drowned by volley upon volley of verbal abuse till cornered into silence I firmly shut my mouth. It hasn't helped much having deep voice; its helped in the choir I love singing in, but in conversation whenever I start having my say, the slow rumble which precedes a voice like mine before take off is out drowned by screams, yells, howls and shrieks which voices of higher decibel level manage to emit.
So rather than lose in this rather unequal fight I've remained a good listener and over the years people seeing I offer no competition whatsoever come to me to have their say, complain and even seek advice which later they walk off without waiting to receive!
But lately I've been called to address small gatherings of people who having run out of eminent, prominent speakers suddenly found there was someone in their midst who seemed to have time on his hands spent in the pursuit of words who could well use same moments forming sentences, paragraphs and pages into speech.
It was after one of those little speeches that I
heard her:
"You have a nice voice Bob!"
I looked around for another Bob, till I found I
was the one sweet lady was talking too. "Thank you!" I said modestly and went home determined to hear more of that 'nice voice.' But it was a battlefield
where I'd already lost earlier. Speech or no speech no one was interested in listening to you once you were off stage.
That's when I decided to watch the one conversing with me and these my dear reader are my humble observations:
If you so much as show you are ready to say something then Mr Loudmouth will use everything in his armoury to prevent you: He or she will raise pitch, will continue story without halt even if story has come to an end, will take quick breaths as they speak, even speaking as they inhale and will use every method possible to see you can't interject.
I thought for a while and realized strategy of the highest order was needed: I would do what I'd been good at doing till now; I would listen so carefully, so intently that poor speaker would be lulled into a false sense of complacency and then when he or she was totally under my calm, serene listening gaze would turn my head to one side as if nodding and then bring head back with a battery of delivery that would cut, splice intrude and continue to hold its own until opponent either left or took up my former stance and posture of silence in total defeat.
Ah! It's working like a magic potion! I've been having a ball and just heard a visitor telling my wife as I left the room to sip a glass of welcome water, "He talks a lot doesn't he, your husband..!"
You bet I am; I'm making up for lost time.

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Making up for lost time..!

For years Ive been known as a good listener, not because I love being one but just when I start replying to question or begin to give opinion Ive been drowned by volley upon volley of verbal abuse till cornered into silence I firmly shut my mouth. It hasnt helped much having deep voice; its helped in the choir I love singing in, but in conversation whenever I start having my say, the slow rumble which precedes a voice like mine before take off is out drowned by screams, yells, howls and shrieks which voices of higher decibel level manage to emit. So rather than lose in this rather unequal fight Ive remained a good listener and over the years people seeing I offer no competition whatsoever come to me to have their say, complain and even seek advice which later they walk off without waiting to receive! But lately Ive been called to address small gatherings of people who having run out of eminent, prominent speakers suddenly found there was someone in their midst who seemed to have time on his hands spent in the pursuit of words who could well use same moments forming sentences, paragraphs and pages into speech. It was after one of those little speeches that I heard her: You have a nice voice Bob! I looked around for another Bob, till I found I was the one sweet lady was talking too. Thank you! I said modestly and went home determined to hear more of that nice voice. But it was a battlefield where Id already lost earlier. Speech or no speech no one was interested in listening to you once you were off stage. Thats when I decided to watch the one conversing with me and these my dear reader are my humble observations: If you so much as show you are ready to say something then Mr Loudmouth will use everything in his armoury to prevent you: He or she will raise pitch, will continue story without halt even if story has come to an end, will take quick breaths as they speak, even speaking as they inhale and will use every method possible to see you cant interject. I thought for a while and realized strategy of the highest order was needed: I would do what Id been good at doing till now; I would listen so carefully, so intently that poor speaker would be lulled into a false sense of complacency and then when he or she was totally under my calm, serene listening gaze would turn my head to one side as if nodding and then bring head back with a battery of delivery that would cut, splice intrude and continue to hold its own until opponent either left or took up my former stance and posture of silence in total defeat. Ah! Its working like a magic potion! Ive been having a ball and just heard a visitor telling my wife as I left the room to sip a glass of welcome water, He talks a lot doesnt he, your husband..! You bet I am; Im making up for lost time. [email protected]