Creative Listening? (Or Hard of Hearing)

       When your hearing’s getting a little frayed around the edges, it can lead to some creative listening.   At dinner one night at in-laws and friends Jean and Michael’s house, it was noted that Michael’s father, now passed on, had not eaten meat.  Jean said, “But that was because of sexual issues.”

       I thought, then paused, finally asked, “Did you say ‘sexual’ issues?”  There was broad laughter at the table.
  
       Jean had said “textural.”  (Meat hard to digest?  I didn’t pursue the question.)  Michael was especially amused, realizing if I’d thought I heard “sexual,” why I just had to ask!

       We seem unable to live with a blurred, indefinite meaning; we’re gonna fill it in with the best we can make of it.