# Wife said something, but I wasn't listening. What should I say? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [January 31, 2015, 7:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wife-said-something-but-i-wasnt-listening-what-should-i-say/711453 "2015-01-31T19:03:21Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![panache45](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/panache45/32/64_2.png) [@panache45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panache45)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2015, 8:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wife-said-something-but-i-wasnt-listening-what-should-i-say/711453/21 "2015-02-01T08:00:16Z")
I have only one question: Is she patiently standing by, in suspended animation, while you check in to the “teeming millions”? It’s what, almost 13 hours since she asked “OK?” Was her last thought “I’m gonna wait here expectantly until you come up with an answer, OK?” ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2015, 8:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wife-said-something-but-i-wasnt-listening-what-should-i-say/711453/22 "2015-02-01T08:02:11Z")
Clutch hand to chest, make choking sounds and fall over. ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2015, 10:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wife-said-something-but-i-wasnt-listening-what-should-i-say/711453/23 "2015-02-01T10:44:54Z")
Another option is to go wildly on the offensive. “Well, FUCK THAT NOISE. If that’s the way you feel we have nothing to talk about!!!” And glare angrily, maybe throw the newspaper you were reading to the ground. ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Goob](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/c77e96/32.png) [@Mr.Goob](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Goob)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2015, 1:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wife-said-something-but-i-wasnt-listening-what-should-i-say/711453/24 "2015-02-01T13:21:27Z")
Light yourself on fire? ---
**Author:** ![Marion\_Wormer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d07c76/32.png) [@Marion\_Wormer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marion_Wormer)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2015, 4:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wife-said-something-but-i-wasnt-listening-what-should-i-say/711453/25 "2015-02-01T16:41:45Z")
“Dear, I’m an idiot. Could you repeat that please?” If she insists on knowing what distracted you: “I was wondering about this stabbing pain in my left eye, but it’s gone now. What did you say again?” ---
**Author:** ![Elemenopy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/b5e925/32.png) [@Elemenopy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elemenopy)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2015, 2:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wife-said-something-but-i-wasnt-listening-what-should-i-say/711453/26 "2015-02-02T02:35:37Z")
Not voting, or reading the other replies yet. Say something honest, or close to it, like “Oh crud. Sorry, honey, I missed the last thing you said because I was thinking about what to get you for your birthday/how pretty your hair looks today/that song you played for me last night is stuck in my head. I’m such a dolt. Could you tell me that last bit again?” I would be an awesome husband. 😃 P.S. In my house, we call zoning out “getting stuck.” So if this situation happens, we just say “oops, got stuck there for a sec.” Well, I do. ---
**Author:** ![simster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/simster/32/1047_2.png) [@simster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/simster)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2015, 4:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wife-said-something-but-i-wasnt-listening-what-should-i-say/711453/27 "2015-02-02T04:37:20Z")
Dear, I heard every word you said, but it still doesn’t make any sense - could you try that one more time, maybe slower? her - I SAID TAKE OUT THE TRASH! Me - Oh, good - I thought you said something about looking at a rash - imagine how embarrassing it would have been if I had said “sure, bend over”. ---
**Author:** ![Isamu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/7c8e57/32.png) [@Isamu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Isamu)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2015, 4:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wife-said-something-but-i-wasnt-listening-what-should-i-say/711453/28 "2015-02-02T04:50:37Z")
“Ask again later!” ---
**Author:** ![bubba001](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/f17d59/32.png) [@bubba001](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bubba001)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2015, 4:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wife-said-something-but-i-wasnt-listening-what-should-i-say/711453/29 "2015-02-02T04:55:43Z")
Yes dear. As long as it doesn’t cost a lot or involve me doing any squaw work:p ---
**Author:** ![BigT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bigt/32/12044_2.png) [@BigT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigT)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2015, 7:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wife-said-something-but-i-wasnt-listening-what-should-i-say/711453/30 "2015-02-02T07:51:44Z")
Everyone I know realizes that I have a hard time hearing sometimes, even though I’m trying. They can’t get mad at me for a physical problem. ---
**Author:** ![TokyoBayer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tokyobayer/32/13989_2.png) [@TokyoBayer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TokyoBayer)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2015, 1:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wife-said-something-but-i-wasnt-listening-what-should-i-say/711453/31 "2015-02-02T13:19:49Z")
I’m sorry, what was the OP about? ---
**Author:** ![Ethilrist](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ethilrist/32/4604_2.png) [@Ethilrist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ethilrist)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2015, 1:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wife-said-something-but-i-wasnt-listening-what-should-i-say/711453/32 "2015-02-02T13:50:44Z")
“Oh, crap, the laundry!” and go do some laundry. There’s always laundry. ---
**Author:** ![CGav8r](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/34f0e0/32.png) [@CGav8r](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CGav8r)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2015, 3:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wife-said-something-but-i-wasnt-listening-what-should-i-say/711453/33 "2015-02-02T15:23:42Z")
_Pop a smoke grenade_ _Make escape in a serpentine motion…don’t look back!_ ---
**Author:** ![kopek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kopek/32/337_2.png) [@kopek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kopek)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2015, 3:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wife-said-something-but-i-wasnt-listening-what-should-i-say/711453/34 "2015-02-02T15:28:32Z")
If you do make a mistake and piss the wife off, remember to sleep on your stomach for a while. Had every man followed that advice we would have never heard of John Wayne Bobbitt. ---
**Author:** ![Cheesesteak](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cheesesteak/32/3694_2.png) [@Cheesesteak](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cheesesteak)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2015, 3:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wife-said-something-but-i-wasnt-listening-what-should-i-say/711453/35 "2015-02-02T15:48:52Z")
> [@simster](#): > > Dear, I heard every word you said, but it still doesn’t make any sense - could you try that one more time, maybe slower? I need to use this. ---
**Author:** ![lieu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/c2a13f/32.png) [@lieu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lieu)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2015, 4:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wife-said-something-but-i-wasnt-listening-what-should-i-say/711453/36 "2015-02-02T16:16:22Z")
_Ear wax eloquently_ ---
**Author:** ![The\_Second\_Stone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/bbe5ce/32.png) [@The\_Second\_Stone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Second_Stone)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2015, 7:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wife-said-something-but-i-wasnt-listening-what-should-i-say/711453/37 "2015-02-02T19:06:20Z")
> [@Novelty\_Bobble](#): > > Or, “Sorry I was just staring at your magnificent tits.” > > I confess that one has had a mixed response at best. Having tried this one, I’d recommend against as the response is not at all mixed. Rather than use that one again, I’d go with, “I’m sorry, I wasn’t paying close enough attention and I think you just said something important.” ---
**Author:** ![gigi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a587f6/32.png) [@gigi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gigi)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2015, 7:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wife-said-something-but-i-wasnt-listening-what-should-i-say/711453/38 "2015-02-02T19:42:42Z")
> [@kopek](#): > > If you do make a mistake and piss the wife off, remember to sleep on your stomach for a while. Had every man followed that advice we would have never heard of John Wayne Bobbitt. Yep, because missing what your wife was saying is the same as abusing her for years. ---
**Author:** ![flight](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/bbce88/32.png) [@flight](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/flight)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2015, 8:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wife-said-something-but-i-wasnt-listening-what-should-i-say/711453/39 "2015-02-02T20:36:55Z")
A while back my live-in girlfriend of a decade (so, wife) noted that I would often say, “mmm” when in this situation, which she took for assent, and then would get annoyed later when I had not done whatever the hell it was I was supposed to be doing. So, she told me that if she starts talking while I am concentrating on something else and therefore not listening, to just say, “Sorry, I’m not paying attention and won’t be doing what your are asking.” She asked what I thought about this idea. I said, “Sorry, I’m not paying attention and won’t be doing what your are asking.” I don’t know why she turned that color of red, it was her idea. ---
**Author:** ![Lowdown](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/c57346/32.png) [@Lowdown](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lowdown)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2015, 9:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wife-said-something-but-i-wasnt-listening-what-should-i-say/711453/40 "2015-02-02T21:10:56Z")
I usually go with “Sorry. I wasn’t paying attention to any of that. Say it again.” It works just fine. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wife-said-something-but-i-wasnt-listening-what-should-i-say/711453.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wife-said-something-but-i-wasnt-listening-what-should-i-say/711453.md?page=3)