Vince. He isn’t normal, is he? One of us can’t be and I know I’m normal! 🙂
Vince has a habit of starting a conversation and then just stopping right in the middle of a sentence . Sometimes I’ll say “Was there more?” Sometimes I just ignore it.
The other day . .
Vince: I’m getting the RTV keys and . .
. . long pause. I was on my way out the door. I stopped and waited for a second or two to see if he was going to finish his statement. He didn’t so I went on outside. He came out.
Me: I need to go check the mail unless you want to do it.
Vince: We have a communication problem!
Me: Do we?
Vince: Yes! I just told you that I was getting the RTV keys and . . I was going to get the mail.
Me: I heard you say you were going to get the RTV keys and . .
Vince: Because you walk out the door when I’m still talking to you.
OK . . not worth arguing about.
Today I had made the breakfast bread that has all the spices and pumpkin seeds in it.
We were out working in the garden. He finished tilling up where we’re going to re-plant okra. I finished pulling some weeds. I knew the bread was about to be done so when I walked into the house, it smelled so good. Vince was eating a sandwich.
Me: Oh, that breakfast bread smells so good.
Vince: What kind of bread is it?
Me: Breakfast bread. The one that’s kinda green with the pumpkin seeds.
Vince: The one that’s green?
Me: You remember the other day when you said we have a communication problem.
Vince: Who said we have a communication problem?
I stopped . . I walked into the kitchen. I didn’t answer him.
Vince: What are you doing?
Me: Praying for patience!
Vince: Parade? What parade?
Oh, my . . sometimes I think he’s joking and sometimes I think he seriously either doesn’t listen to anything I say or he listens to every other word and then he decides, based on the few words he heard, what I’m saying.
Don’t even ask if he can hear? I keep the volume down on my phone because I hate it when someone’s standing next to me somewhere (like I EVER go anywhere these days!) and I can hear every word . . but my volume is so low. Vince sits across the room and hears every word the other party is saying on my phone . . and it is NOT on speaker.
I’m really not complaining . . I’m venting. I think it’s funny so long as neither of us gets frustrated with the other. We try not to do that . .
Oh, . . now I’m laughing. I was going to read him this blog post. I got to the part where he said “I’m getting the RTV keys”. I read this to him verbatim. He said “Where are you going?”
I said “Nowhere”
He said “Why are you getting the RTV keys?”
Donna in KS says
When it happens here, I wish it were as amusing as when I read your experiences!!
Judy Laquidara says
It is that funny, so long as he doesn’t see me laughing.
PattiLynn says
Here…the room is quiet, my husband often starts speaking “Like I was saying”…then he gets into the subject. I say, “Wait a minute, you weren’t saying anything…”
He’ll say “Yes, I was. I just told you…etc…”
Honestly, it goes down hill from there. I need a recorder. haha.
Judy Laquidara says
Y’all make me feel like things aren’t so bad at our house.
Heather Sedlacek says
It is not just a hearing problem at our house! My husband told me the other day that the neighbors got new gutters. I said how do you know? And he said there is asign in the yard, I didnt recognize the compan though they must be new. So later I go to get the mail and read that the sign clearly says Gutierrez for Sheriff! So now if we go anywhere together he says wow there sure are a lot of people getting gutters!
Judy Laquidara says
Oh, my . . that cracked me up. New gutters are nice! 🙂
Dottie says
Have to laugh – sounds like a lot of us are in the same boat. My DH will start to say something, doesn’t finish and when I ask him, he’ll say I told you and you weren’t listening. After disagreeing with him multiple times, I’ve decided it’s just not worth it and don’t respond at all. I figure if he wants to tell me again, he will. I do think it’s because he’s gotten distracted and “thinks” he finished whatever it was he was saying.
Donnalyn Dahlin says
hmmm…,,sounds just like our house too!! Some days I can giggle through it and some days it just about drives me around the bend, Keep smiling Judy. You are not alone!
Judy Laquidara says
It really does help to know others deal with the same thing. It’s so hard for me not to laugh sometimes and I know Vince wouldn’t see anything funny about our “communication problem” but knowing others are going through this is going to make it harder for me to keep a straight face now.
Nelle Coursey says
There is nothing wrong with you. I think all husbands must do this!
Rebecca in SoCal says
I’ve been wondering about my husband the last couple days. He’ll ask me a question, and when I reply, he’ll say something nonsensical with some of the same sounds, and make it sound like a question. Hmm, I just realized he does this when he’s not facing me (last time he was actually leaving the room). Anyway, I’m wondering if it is a hearing problem, or if he just isn’t paying attention. Tsk.
Amy Makson says
SOOO funny. We need to introduce him to our friend who starts conversations in the middle… like out of the air he will say ” and so that is what he said the second time”. Wait, what? Who? So he and Vince might work out well together! LOL
Betty Edwards says
This is wonderful to know! We all have the same things happening in our homes. And the same discussions about it! Some times it will be such a long pause it his talking I forget what subject he began with. It’s not his age, he has always done this! So I just deal with it! Yes some days it’s funny, other frustrating but just smile and keep on keeping on!
JudyCinNC says
Different husband, same problem! I call it his disconnect … from reality to what he perceives to hear and sometimes they do not Even come clos
Susan Nixon says
Oh my gosh! That ending is hilarious!
Lee Young says
One thing my husband does to “communicate” – a man of very few words…to me, but can ramble on like crazy with a friend on the phone – is letting me know he’s going hiking in the morning, or on an overnight photo trip by asking the Lord for safety during the dinner blessing prayer. After 23 years, I know longer get ruffled over it – it ain’t changin’ any time soon.
Judy Laquidara says
I shouldn’t laugh .. but I did!
Phyllis says
OK, I feel better, in the same boat with every one of you. Lee Reynolds, you are right. 49 years and it gets worse all the time.
Sherry in NC says
Same communication problem in my house. My husband talks in a low voice, mumbling and with his back turned to me. I have lost hearing in my right ear from a poorly treated ear infection and I think my hearing is getting worse in the left ear now. I keep telling him I’m hard of hearing but it doesn’t do any good. I’ve even offered to get a hearing test to prove it. He also tries to talk to me from another room then gets mad when I don’t remember something he supposedly told me. If I ask what he said, he’ll say yes or just a random word and won’t tell me what he just said. It makes me so mad. I just finally tell him to not even talk to me. And he never remembers anything that I tell him. He’s got a t-shirt that says, “My wife says I don’t listen. I think.” He thinks it’s funny. My opinion is that if they can send one man to the moon, why can’t they send them all. LOL
cassews says
Oh boy do those words ever sound so familiar .. WOW !