This is a common question. What did you say? What do you mean? What do you want for dinner? What movie is playing? What was in the mail today? From the mouth and mind of many, however, the question, "What" is short for "why are you looking at me light that?" Teenagers guilty of something use the word more often than anyone I know. Even when they are not guilty, they use the word when they do not want to respond right away. I can say loudly and clearly some instruction having to do with an activity my teenager prefers to avoid and he'll respond with, "What?" On the other hand, if I ask my teenager anything having to do with food or money, he has bionic hearing.

Today, after having to leave work yet again to collect my hard-of-hearing teenager from the vice principal's office because he was being unruly and disruptive in school resulting in a 2-day suspension, he had the nerve to ask me if he could go outside and ride around on his skateboard when we got home.

What?

He has plans tomorrow to spend Halloween at the local theme park with his friends.

What?

He needs money for bus fare.

What?

He wants to know what is for dinner.

What?

I wonder if he gets that. (he'd say, 'gets what?')

Sigh.