My wife doesn't seem to understand the concept of headphones. Headphones suit two purposes, to keep the internal speaker sound contained within the phone and to keep external noise out. It's the second part that she doesn't seem to get.
She recently received a portable DVD player with a 7" screen as part of a work promotion. A portable DVD player is one of those items I've always wanted but didn't want to spend my own money on. I was looking forward to trying it out on the long drive up to my parents' house in Door County this past weekend. I got myself all set in the passenger seat of the car. The DVD player on my lap, a bag of licorice to my side and my big oversized headphones covering my ears. I flipped through my DVD library and selected Pumping Iron (the Arnold Schwarzenegger bodybuilding documentary) as my first screening. I was barely past the opening menus when a certain buzz could be heard emanating from the cabin of the car. What's that noise? Is she trying to talk to me? Then a tap on my leg. I remove one headphone and listen:
Wife: Why'd you pick that movie?
Me: I don't know, I haven't seen it in awhile.
I subtlely put the headphone back over my ear as I listen to Arnold potificate about how pumping iron is better than sex. Then the noise again. Every few seconds there is a pause and I instictively mutter a "yeah". Years of training have taught me that when women talk they usually are just spouting about something they want you to agree on so a "yeah" response typically suffices. Of course I generally only get off a couple "yeah's" before I get the "are you listening to me?"
"Yeah I'm listening to you."
"Well what did I just say?"
I quickly think back, trying to piece together a word or two that might infer that I was listening. She was talking about her friend, oh wait, that was like five minutes ago. I think she said something about our house search...
"When we find the right house, we'll know."
"Yeah. That house in Waukesha was nice but it just didn't do it for me. I don't think I'm ready for that. On the other hand I really like that house in Shorewood but I'm concerned that..."
She bought it. At least I won't get yelled at but now I realize I've missed two minutes of the movie. Oh well. Off it goes.
"Aren't you going to watch the movie?"
"I think I'm going to sleep." I recline the chair and close my eyes. The car goes silent.
That she understands.
She recently received a portable DVD player with a 7" screen as part of a work promotion. A portable DVD player is one of those items I've always wanted but didn't want to spend my own money on. I was looking forward to trying it out on the long drive up to my parents' house in Door County this past weekend. I got myself all set in the passenger seat of the car. The DVD player on my lap, a bag of licorice to my side and my big oversized headphones covering my ears. I flipped through my DVD library and selected Pumping Iron (the Arnold Schwarzenegger bodybuilding documentary) as my first screening. I was barely past the opening menus when a certain buzz could be heard emanating from the cabin of the car. What's that noise? Is she trying to talk to me? Then a tap on my leg. I remove one headphone and listen:
Wife: Why'd you pick that movie?
Me: I don't know, I haven't seen it in awhile.
I subtlely put the headphone back over my ear as I listen to Arnold potificate about how pumping iron is better than sex. Then the noise again. Every few seconds there is a pause and I instictively mutter a "yeah". Years of training have taught me that when women talk they usually are just spouting about something they want you to agree on so a "yeah" response typically suffices. Of course I generally only get off a couple "yeah's" before I get the "are you listening to me?"
"Yeah I'm listening to you."
"Well what did I just say?"
I quickly think back, trying to piece together a word or two that might infer that I was listening. She was talking about her friend, oh wait, that was like five minutes ago. I think she said something about our house search...
"When we find the right house, we'll know."
"Yeah. That house in Waukesha was nice but it just didn't do it for me. I don't think I'm ready for that. On the other hand I really like that house in Shorewood but I'm concerned that..."
She bought it. At least I won't get yelled at but now I realize I've missed two minutes of the movie. Oh well. Off it goes.
"Aren't you going to watch the movie?"
"I think I'm going to sleep." I recline the chair and close my eyes. The car goes silent.
That she understands.
posted by Trent at 11:03 AM
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