Time.

My father was deaf in one ear.

For as long as I can remember he would frequently say ‘What?…’ and lean forward and cup his ear.

It drove us mad.

We pleaded with him to get a hearing aid or have a specialist check if there was something to be done.

He reckoned the damage was caused by a virus in his youth, and there was nothing to be done.

So ‘What?…’. ‘What?…’ ‘What?…’ was the refrain in our household and at restaurants and footy games - day in and day out.

Today is the first time I’ve thought of this aspect of my beautiful Dad in over a decade since he died.