He nodded, a small, pathetic motion.
In the rental car, he tried the Valsalva maneuver: pinch your nose, close your mouth, blow gently. His eardrums bulged outward, a tiny, painful ballooning, then snapped back with a wet, sticky pop that wasn't a relief but a betrayal. He winced. His right ear felt like it had been slapped from the inside. ears popping after flight
She reached under the counter and pulled out a small blue bottle. “Saline spray,” she said, enunciating like a patient teacher. “Not for your ears. For your nose. Sometimes the tubes are just swollen shut. This helps.” She also handed him a packet of instant coffee. “Caffeine. Constricts blood vessels. Might reduce the inflammation.” He nodded, a small, pathetic motion
“Long flight?” she asked.
He looked at the clock. Seven hours after landing. Seven hours of being a ghost in a soundproof box. He winced
He lay on the hotel bed, staring at the ceiling. He tried a hot shower, letting steam curl into his ear canals. He chewed gum until his jaw ached. He lay on his side, then the other, then on his back with a pillow wedged under his neck. Nothing.