Are they really listening?

You know how you suspect people aren’t actually listening to you? (Husband, children, pets) Oh, they say they are, and really want you to believe them, but you then find out . . . well, here’s how it all transpired:

We were having breakfast, something like toasted Bruegger’s bagels swathed in cream cheese, with turkey sausage on the side. Yum! We were having our second cup of coffee and my darling husband was typing, typing, typing on his laptop, trying to get ready to teach his next chemistry class.

As I’m reading the morning paper, I casually asked him, “Are you still hungry?”
He said, not looking up, “Yes.”
I wasn't sure he was still hungry and said, “Really?”
His eyes glued on the laptop, he immediately responded, “Yes.”
And I said, “Should I make you something more?”
And he stopped typing, looked up at me - like I was asking him to tie my shoes - and said, “Yes?”

So back to the stove I went . . . making a fluffy omelette with veggies and popped some bread in the toaster. About five minutes later, I presented this Second Breakfast (as in Hobbit-Second-Breakfast) to him, presenting the plate at the same level as his eyes on the laptop. He stopped, looking at me with a slightly amused and quizzical expression. I declare triumphantly, “Ok, here it is. Second breakfast.”

He hesitated for only one second, took the plate, thanking me, still with that little amusement in his eyes and I started laughing and insisted, “You just said ‘yes’ because you had no idea what you were saying ‘yes’ to.” He started to laugh and said, “You think I wasn’t listening to you.” And I said, “THAT’S RIGHT. You weren’t listening.” And he started laughing harder and said, “Oh, I’m never gonna live this down.”

He’s right, of course. He will never live this down. But he did eat the omelette. And the next time I think he’s not really listening, I’m going to make sure he says “yes” to a trip to Ireland.