Stop Making Sense

You know how sometimes people who become stone deaf lose some of their ability to articulate precisely? Because being able to hear yourself speak gives you a feedback mechanism by which you can continue to monitor your own clarity of speech. I’m wondering if there is going to be an interesting parallel to this phenomenon in my ability to continue making conversational sense.

It is true that I tend to be quirky in my points and style, when it comes to conversation. However, I could always gauge my general comprehensibility by whether Jeff was returning the verbal serve in a way that made contextual sense. Thus our volleys stayed within a framework that--while most likely not everyone’s preferred game--at least, for the most part, did not stray into Dadaistic nonsensicality.

And now I’m not sure. The basics remain: I can ask “how was your chicken caesar salad?,” or “did you get the mail?,” or “are you tired?” and generally get a response that logically answers the question. But if I stray into the quirky, or (to me) humorous, I am typically met with a blank stare of incomprehension. So I backtrack, and try again in plainer style.

Which is fine. Ish. It’s also boring. Consequently I may still inject riffs from my old off-beat manner into the flow, and let them amuse myself only. (Although the amusement of one is not equal to half the amusement of two. It’s more like 15%.)

The trouble will be that since Jeff is still the primary backboard off which my ball bounces, I may find--some years down the road if I find someone else to talk to--that I make absolutely no sense. And that will be strange and, I suppose, disappointing.