Mom: I'll make you ramen for lunch.
Grandmom: There's so much leftovers.
Mom: You can eat that for dinner, in a little while I'm going out. I'll make you ramen.
Grandmom: I'll make it myself.
Mom: Didn't you say the last time you made it, it didn't taste good?
Grandmom: I'll make it myself.
Mom: I'll make it for you.
And then my mom gathers the ingredients for ramen together.
And I, being a meddler, butt in with:
"Mom, Grandma said she wants to make food herself, why are you making her eat ramen? What if Grandma doesn't want it and really wants to eat something else?"
So then:
Mom: Do you want ramen? Janice said I'm forcing you to eat ramen. What if I make it and you don't want it?
Grandmom: If you want to make it, I'll eat it. I just didn't want to make you busy.
Mom: I would rather make it for you than you making it yourself.
And I'm eavesdropping and wondering, why couldn't the conversation have gone like this?:
Mom: Do you want ramen for lunch?
Grandmom: Okay.
The end.
Do you see now why I get confused when people talk to me?
In my head: Do they mean what they say they mean? Is there subtext? OH my god, there's subtext, what is it what is it what is it? I know! Wait, did I get it right? What if I'm wrong? Ahhh, maybe what they're saying really is what they mean. HOW DO I KNOW? Wait, they're not Asian, that means they do mean what they say. Right? Boy, I'm tired. I'll just remain quiet.
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