Listening Under Difficulties

New Zealand Listener, Volume 4, Issue 82, 17 January 1941, Page 5

Listening Under Difficulties

| MMEDIATELY the, news bulletin is over I turn off the radio and concentrate on the news for a few minutes in silence. By this means I gain a much clearer story of the general situation. New names of places I scribble down in a note book so that I can check up on the shifting battle grounds. Apart from improving my geography I gain a much clearer story of events. It is essential, to my wav of \

thinking, to listen without interruption and with an open mind. It’s very disconcerting, for instance, to be listening with full attention and to-hear someone saying "And when you come home to-night you might bring back a pound of sausages and a dozen bananas." Now there’s nothing I like better than buying sausages and bananas, but. the same sausages and

bananas are quite out of place when listening to the radio news. It may be that the smallest diversion will break the continuity of the bulletin. Strange but it’s always the most important little bits that are missed. Only the other day I was very anxious _ to hear a special talk. We were having tea on the _veranda with a few friends, but I managed to Sneak away to a friend’s house nearby; he, by the way, is one of my converts. He, too, wanted to hear this same talk. With stealth. we managed to elude ‘members of his family and tuned in the radio, We were getting on fine, when in rushed one of his nieces who wanted the newspaper. My friend _ simply said " Shush," but that was no good. " Uncle, you must be sitting on it "-again he said " Shush." ’-It was of no use, he had to get up so that she could ‘'see for herself. Then I had to get up with almost the same result. In my case there was no newspaper, but instead I was sitting on some needlework ‘which her aunt had evidently mislaid. Niece called _ aunt, who came and rescued her handiwork, which was none the worse for wear, except that her needle _ ‘was missing. Well that was the end of our listening. I met Uncle next day, and he was seriously thinking of buying a crystal set and earphones so that. he could, when occasion’ warranted it, disappear into his bedroom or tool shed when he wished to listen undisturbed.-(" Just ‘ Listening. In," by Major F. ‘H. Lampen, 2YA, January 2.)