In his desperation to return to his old life, Ruben sold everything he had to afford surgery, hoping to get back to drumming in the band with his girlfriend. Despite his efforts, when he activates the implant, he's disappointed that the sound isn’t the same as before. He returns to rehab, but Joe has to ask him to leave for breaking the rule against surgery. Ruben then visits Lou at her father's house, and later that night, he sees his girlfriend, realizing he never really knew her. She seems so different from the person he last knew. The next morning, Ruben goes for a walk and hears the city noises through his implant. He removes it, sits still, and observes. At that moment, he finally understands what Joe had told him—to sit still and appreciate the surroundings. Ruben realizes he must accept being deaf and learn to live with it.
This is a beautiful story with a powerful ending.