Overheard . . . Rattling Hum

So Addison hums now. A lot. He usually hums at meals, and it is not often pleasant. The boy's got a nice singing voice, but when he hums . . . well, I don't want to be rude, but it drives Heather and me crazy. Colin likes it.

During the course of most activities, I really don't mind it. It's just at the table during a meal when it really grates on us. I think he hums then because it's the easiest way to carry a tune uninterrupted while eating. I don't think he's even conscious of it most of the time. But one day, it drove me way beyond the point of frustration and straight into the teeth of the cliffs of insanity.

So I tell him, "Addison, please stop humming."

More humming.

"Addison, stop humming, please!"

More humming.

"Dude, no more humming!"

He stares at me. Then hums some more.

"Addison, if you don't stop humming right now, I'm going to . . ."

"Dad, I don't know what humming is."

I've never gone from crazed frustrated anger to refreshing whimsical laughter quite so fast in all my life.