Conversation by Inference: You Know What I Mean

Just the other day, The Duppster and I were going somewhere in his truck. He was driving.

Now, this is significant, because for a long, long time I’ve had this thing about riding with other people. I’m what folks call a “back-seat driver,” although I don’t mean to be. When I see brake lights in front of me, I gasp or holler or freak out or something. I try to put on brakes from the passenger side (on those rare occasions when I actually consent to riding with someone.)

I understand that this is not a good thing; being a “Nervous Nelly” is not admirable. I intend to be a good passenger. Usually, I fail.

So anyway, as we were going along - with Dupp at the wheel - after a few too many gasps and grimaces from “yours truly”, he looked at me and lovingly said, “I’m not going to let anything happen to you.”

And that’s what this post is really about.

You see, my thought was that there are some things that I want to have happen to me. Maybe I want a genie to grant me three wishes. Maybe I want to win the lottery (which would be somewhat difficult since I’ve never even bought a ticket.) But, don’t you see? There are good things that might happen to people, so I wouldn’t want Dupp to keep everything from happening to me.

 

As we talked about it, Dupp offered that the word “bad” is there by inference, that I could tell what he meant.

Maybe we often have conversation by inference, understanding what is being said or intended even if the plain words might be interpreted a different way.

Another example happened last week at the doctor’s office to which I had been referred. Any time a person goes to a new provider’s office, there are pages of paperwork to fill out.

One question included in last week’s paperwork was this: “Do you have religious beliefs that might affect your treatment?” I wrote “no.”

And then it struck me. Yes, of course, I do! I have religious beliefs that might affect my treatment. In fact, I certainly hope they will.

After all, isn’t that one of the reason we pray?

 
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