The doctor, amused by the situation, decides to humor the man. He instructs him, "Stand 20 feet away from your wife and say something to her in a normal tone of voice. Then, move closer and say the same thing. We'll see at what distance she can hear you."
The man agrees and proceeds with the test. He stands 20 feet away from his wife and says, "Honey, what's for dinner tonight?"
There's no response.
He takes a few steps closer, now standing 15 feet away, and repeats, "Honey, what's for dinner tonight?"
Still no response.
He takes a few more steps and stands 10 feet away, asking once more, "Honey, what's for dinner tonight?"
Again, no answer.
Finally, he stands just 5 feet away and asks, "Honey, what's for dinner tonight?"
His wife turns to him and replies, "For the fourth time, dear, it's chicken!"
The test reveals that it's not the wife's hearing that's the issue but rather a matter of selective listening or perhaps some playful mischief. The doctor and the man share a chuckle over the situation, and the husband learns that effective communication is not just about volume but also about attentiveness.
