A Failure to Communicate
Nothing
serious, we do not need to see a counselor. But it can be annoying, especially
when she says it is my inability to listen.
First off,
in my defense, I am a guy. None of us
listen. It is a given. Women buy shoes and talk forever on the
phone. Guys don’t listen.
Anyway, Mrs.
C communicates, but she does no like to waste words (unlike most women).
Example:
“Kare,
where is the new fornistat we just bought at Lowes?”
“Downstairs!”
OK, she has
saved many words, but it is those words that are required to find where she put
the brand new fornistat. (Yes, that is made up)
“Where
downstairs?”
“In the
kitchen!”
“Where in
the kitchen, I don’t see it. If I did, I
wouldn’t be yelling.”
“On the
chair.”
“We have
7 chairs.”
“The one
around the table.”
“We have
4 around the table.”
“The one
with the coat on the seat.”
“I still
don’t see it.”
“Look
under the coat.”
I often
wonder why she could not just answer the first time,
“Under
the coat on the chair around the kitchen table.”
I guess she
thinks she is saving words.
Today was
another perfect example.
“I’m
going out to put the garbage can on the street for tomorrows pick up.”
As I am
unlocking the front door she responds,
“Leave
the door unlocked.”
“Why
would I relock the door, I am just going to come back when I take out the garbage
can?”
“Not the
front door, the side door on the garage, why would I want the front door unlocked?”
“I don’t
know, call me crazy, but when I am at a door, in the process of unlocking it to
go out and you tell me not to relock a door, my mind just gravitates to the
door I am actually unlocking at the very moment, not the garage door.”
“But
relocking the front door makes no sense!”
“Exactly!”
“So, what
is your point.”
“You
could have specified ‘the side garage door’.”
“I shouldn’t
have to.”
It always
makes me think of the Paul Newman movie “Cool Hand Luke” and the prison
boss,
“What we
have here is a failure to communicate.”
Yes, we have a failure to communicate here too. I get it. It's frustrating.
ReplyDeleteNever a dull moment at your house.
Have a fabulous day and weekend. ☺
Dear JoeH, I met my wife 53 years ago. Some puzzles I can't pass up. Communication is a marital curriculum, upper division: we married in 1970. Introduction aside, I just wanted to say, descriptively you've nailed the enigma. Not an easy task. Your post exceeds a history of poetry on the same subject. I'm in your debt.
ReplyDeleteI think its common with failures to communicate. We have trouble because he is so literal. I have to describe things to a T for him to get what I'm asking for. Can be frustrating.
ReplyDeletebetty
I. Explain. Everything. Verrryyy slooowwllyy..I always get the same answer.."What?"
ReplyDeleteLOL!! Listening is not our strong suit.
DeleteI love that movie, but not the egg eating scene.
ReplyDeleteI hope she doesn't read your blog. For your sake.
ReplyDeleteMaybe she should read your blog for your sake. Couldn't hurt. Think that would come under communication.
ReplyDeleteI think people should communicate in writing. This way, the message will be more precise, clear, and to the point; because each party will have to ensure that they say what they mean to say since there's a permanent record of what was said.
ReplyDeleteI communicate with my wife in writing and in triplicate. She now ignores me three times as much as before.
God bless.
I live with such a communicator, but my questions are answered with a repeat of the same answer, only LOUDER.
ReplyDeleteMy husband uses pronouns without an antecedent (for you English majos), like,"He called and said they would be here tomorrow." Who? Then he rolls his eyes and shakes his head. Once again, I have failed the mind-reading part of the test.
ReplyDeleteAs Grandpa would say, we have a catastrophic state of disarray due to redundancy and semi-loquaciousness.
ReplyDeleteokay, in my defense, i worked 20 yrs at a help desk, talking people through their computer hardware & software issues. if i was a bad communicator, i don't think i would have lasted 6 months. so maybe, just maybe, what we have here is a 'picnic' problem in chair, not in computer. in other words, maybe the problem is with mr cranky & he just likes to blame his not understanding on me, & not himself.
ReplyDeleteLOL!!
DeleteWhy do you have to ask so many questions in the first place?
ReplyDelete