Men Are Beasts
by Jack Swenson
They both have an annoying habit. She talks to him while she's in another room, and he doesn't answer because he can't hear what she's saying. This drives him crazy. She complains that when she speaks to him, he doesn't listen. "Will you take out the garbage?" she asks. "What?" he replies. He says he doesn't hear well. She is convinced that he doesn't care what she has to say.
One day he is in the TV room, and his wife is in the kitchen, and she asks him a question, and he yells, "What?" She appears in the kitchen door, her hands on her hips, and yells back, "You never listen to me!"
Okay. A compromise is in order. This can't go on, they agree. He gets his hearing tested, and consequently in a week or two, he is wearing hearing aids. He is happy, his wife is happy, and everything is wonderful in their little world. Now when she speaks to him, he no longer responds with an interrogative but rather a cheery, "You're absolutely right, dear" or "I'll get right on it," or "What a great idea!"
On her part, she still talks to him from other rooms, sometimes when she is in the bathroom or the garage, or when she is in her car on the way to work or at the grocery store, and when he doesn't answer, it makes her sad. That's the way men are, she thinks. You just can't change them.
You're absolutely right about this. What a great idea--I'm going to change right away.
On second thought, I'd hate myself and get drummed out of the He-Man Wimmen Hater's Club.
Funny stuff.
I said, "Good one!"
Zzziiiiiinnnng!
Fave.
Well, yes. "Okay. A compromise is in order. This can't go on, they agree. He gets his hearing tested, and consequently in a week or two, he is wearing hearing aids. He is happy, his wife is happy, and everything is wonderful in their little world." Enjoyed this, Jack.
This I like, lots.
You just can't change them. How true. If it weren't for keeping the species going, I can't imagine how men and women ever got together in the first place... the insanity of it all was put down so well here, understated, under-heard, funny!
*
Wonderful example of using the most common of human interactions to reveal so much about human nature and ourselves in the entertainment of story!Fave.
Ha! Another wonderful domestic scene fraught w/love, sorrow, longing, forgiveness, and anger -
Nice!
Good writing, Jack. You do relationships so well. This one hits close to home. As you say: "They both have an annoying habit."
Great story. Can relate.
Couldn't hear what my wife was saying. Had my hearing tested. Unfortunately, my hearing was perfect!
good story. Bet lots of us can understand it.
Makes me think of a song line, she only hears what she wants to hear, but can't get the tune. Got your story, however, loud and clear. ;-)
Jack, you could've taken this almost anywhere, and the place you chose was just amazing. The ending has so much, adds so much more than just a paragraph. Nicely done.
Love the narration here. I was picturing them on stage. Great dynamics, great everything. *
Another unsteady step on the sad journey back to solitude.
Per Estelle's comment, I'll bet the median age of the responders can't really understand the depth of this pool.
Another little sparkler in the sand.
So highly relatable, and just wonderfully drawn. Great choices, Jack. Another amazing example of your mastery. *
gosh, jack, it's all in here, even what's not in here (which is a lot) is, mysteriously, magically, in here, because it doesn't matter where you lift the carpet over any relationship, any peek under it reveals the entire pattern. masterful.
You know men and women so well. How do you do it?
Ha, see, "you're absolutely right dear!" is really all we want. Really good, Jack. Your usual keen eye and ear! at work here...*
I love miscommunication tales.
Laughing....giggling actually.
Ha, Jack - You always get it right! Might have to send this to my Pop. *
I liked the twist there at the end.
Title says it all. I'm with her, and often sad. Much as you all think we don't get it, you really don't get it. On a related note, I had an uncle who was pretty much deaf, especially when his wife talked, but he could the door bell when everybody else missed it. I think what we're all missing, cross-gender lines, is the quality of mercy. Great story.