You know the game~~the first player whispers a phrase or sentence to the next player. Each player successively whispers what that player believes he or she heard to the next. The last player announces the statement to the entire group. Errors typically accumulate in the retelling, so the statement announced by the last player differs significantly, and often amusingly from the one uttered by the first. {Wikipedia}
We seem to play a version of this game at our house!
It is not so much the WHAT that is said. More the HOW it is said that seems to get lost in the communication.
Here is how the game is played:
- Steve makes a comment.
- I respond with "Why are you being so loud/grumpy/snotty/impatient/...
- He responds with, "All I said was ____________."
- It is my turn again and I rebut with, "Yes, but the way you said it was very ___________."
- He counters with, "That is not how I said it!!"
- I end the game with, "Well as you said it and the words travelled through the air waves, they ended up sounding very ___________ to my ears.
The most recent tournament of this game came on Monday.
disclaimer: Steve had worked 10pm to 6am at his pretend job and then went straight to the base for his guard weekend. He did this for two nights~~~so he was extremely tired.
He stood in the doorway between the kitchen and living room and said,
HIM: "I think I really lost my ring this time."
ME: "Uh, WHAT!!! Why are you standing there so nonchalantly saying you lost your wedding ring?"
HIM: "I am not being nonchalant. I think I really lost my ring. I took it of at the base because I was working on a generator and I cannot find it." {still being said without the emotion I feel is necessary for the situation.}
ME: "Then why do you sound so calm?"
HIM: "I didn't say it calmly!" {Now we get some emotion!}
ME: "Well by the time the words got to me they sounded pretty calm!"
end of game
no winner~~~ring lost
