By Tess Carichner
when the outside pierces the inside
car horns, shouts, bus brakes, undulating background chatter building
till annoyance becomes physical pain
my ears are folded in by my hands
my eyes are swollen in their tear-lined sockets
the vibrations that radiate from the impact of my heel on the ground are measured
with just one sound
from the conversations, the day, the peace - I am severed
my favorite gift was not very expensive
it was not trendy, then at least
it was an object and
a new way of knowing the world
over-the-ear headphones
now scratched, stickered, peeling
loved
something worn on the outside
to bring peace to
the inside
I left class one day
without them
my instructor ran after me
WAIT
what would you do without them?
some nights
they cushion my head as I drift to sleep
some evenings
they narrowly avoid water as I shower
most days
they are as essential as shoes
every day
they are a friend
a protector
About the Creator
In Ode to Headphones (2023), Carichner reflects on a piece of technology that, while casual in presentation, actually creates sensory access in her everyday life as an autistic person. The brief interaction in which an instructor urgently recognizes a piece of "casual" tech as an assistive device is an uncommon, yet necessary example of sensory needs being validated. Lastly, Carichner reflects on the user's regard of assistive devices, as the headphones become a part of the routine, the experience, and even the user herself.goes here