Could You Repeat That?

I have some themes in my life. One of them is repeating myself. I'm sure I repeat things I've already told people without realizing it, but what I really mean is the kind of repeating that I have to do when people don't listen to me. I think I could cut down on my daily word count significantly without the repeating. The following drama illustrates. All three of my males were in the kitchen at the time and I will refer to them as M1, M2, M3.

Setting: Kitchen, lunchtime, M1 has the laptop open on the table with a basketball game on it, M1 is making his own lunch

Me: Hey boys. What do you want for lunch? (No response.) OK, we have a few leftovers or you can have a sandwich. (Silence.) Guys? (Exasperated voice)

M2: What?

Me: What do you want for lunch?

M2: What do we have?

Me: The same things I just listed for you. Nothing has changed. The mashed potatoes are for dinner, so you can't have those, but everything else is available.

M1: I'll have American cheese.

Me: (Not my first choice, but relieved by a decision) OK. That works. Let me cut up some pear for you. (Now turning to M2 who is mesmerized by the basketball game of two teams he has never heard of) Did you decide what you want for lunch? (Silence) (In a MUCH louder voice) Please turn around, stop looking at the computer, and tell me what you want for lunch.

M2: Oh, I'll have mashed potatoes, please.

The drama did not end here, but imagine the word savings if scenes like this were a little less common in my life. :)