Pop them on, turn them up, shut out the world, and run as though you haven’t a care in the world.
I run too. I’m pretty quick — and I care very much.
First, I must thank you for acquiring them. I hope they work well. I’ll need them to do their job right if I’m to do mine right.
Y’know, things used to be much harder than this.
People like you were more aware and the quality of the headphones was lower. You could hear me coming a mile away. That’s why things are so much better now. Your headphones help me hide.
What was it you said on social media last night?
“Who gets into an Uber ride alone and then sits in the front seat beside the driver? It’s no wonder he touched you.”
Profound words, yet ironic.
“Well, who runs without paying due care and attention?”
You do.
You are responsible for your safety when you place a foot onto the path to start your morning jog. Music in your head doesn’t mean you have a band of musicians running alongside you to protect you. Turning off the outside world doesn’t mean it’s not there anymore.
It’s still there.
Do you know why I know that?
It’s because I’m part of it.
In twenty or so seconds, you and your effective noise-cancelling headphones will make a left turn on that path, a right, and then another right. Soon, you’ll enter this stretch of woodland and you’ll be all alone.
Noise-cancelling headphones will stop the sound of me from reaching your ears.
Ah, there you are.
I’ll let you pass this tree and then follow you.
See, now I’m right behind you, keeping pace. Easy as that. You don’t have a clue. This only goes to prove my point. Noise-cancelling headphones are downright dangerous.
Think about it.
A cyclist could come from behind and knock you down by accident. A car could inadvertently leave the road and get you. At least you’d hear something of the trouble and have a chance of getting out of the way to avoid injury or, perhaps, death.
With noise-cancelling headphones, you have no way of hearing anything. None at all.
And then there is you, jogging along like that, oblivious, with me jogging just a few feet behind. You’ve been at it for half an hour. I’ve been jogging for less than a minute.
You have no idea of what I’m about to do.
Here I come.
Ready?
Got it!
Now I’ve got those expensive new noise-cancelling headphones for me! They’re all mine now!
Catch me if you can.
-M
Noise Cancelling Headphones