Everyday Heroes - Oticon

‘Really,’ she answered in a more serious tone.
‘They work a bit like a headset though,’ Simon added quickly.
‘You can connect them to your mobile and your iPod and
stuff…’
‘Cool – I’ve got an iPod,’ she smiled. ‘Want to try?’ Simon connected
the iPod while Sara selected a song. ‘It works!’ he smiled.
It had been a long time since Simon had sat at the piano. The sun
was shining despite the heavy rain clouds; the tree outside the window
had shed its leaves, ready for winter. And Simon sat at the
keyboard in the bright autumn light. Earlier that day, he had rung
Jacob, and they had cycled through the town, past the hotel where
a young couple were talking with the receptionist; past the bank,
where a businessman was shouting into his mobile, and over to the
mall, where dozens of girls were standing around gossiping about
their latest purchases.
‘Hi Sara,’ shouted Simon.
‘Hi,’ she shouted back, smiling.
‘How are things going?’ asked Jacob.
‘I can hear lots of things I haven’t heard in ages.’ Simon replied.
‘Like cars a hundred metres away, people talking on the street,
phones ringing, and the music in the supermarket. There are sounds
everywhere. I guess I’ll just have to get used to it.’
‘That’s amazing Simon. What’re you going to do now?’
‘Go home and play a bit of piano, I think…’
‘Well, see you around. Have a good time!’ Jacob waved and
hopped back on his bicycle.
Gazing out of the large bay window, Simon could hear the wind
battering the windowpanes. He could also hear his grandmother’s
crackly old radio, out in the kitchen. And for the fi rst time in a long
time, he could hear every magnifi cent note on the piano, from the
moment he began to play.
25