example

DH was telling a story about work and I was very busy, but was trying to listen. I asked him to repeat himself a couple of times because I wanted to understand a detail I had missed. DH kept getting frustrated and threatened to stop telling me. I insisted that I wanted to know and he continued. He told me I wasn't listening attentively and was very rude to me. I tried to sympathize and asked him to continue telling, that I was trying to listen as the kids were hovering around and chattering.

DH typically becomes very angered when he doesn't have my full attention. But when I am telling a story, he constantly looks away, ignores me, and when I ask if he wants me to continue, he often claims that whatever he is watching on television, usually sports, is more important and to hold that thought. Or he tells me I don't get to the point quickly enough and that I am boring.

Ouch.

But I am supposed to act like his story is interesting and pay full attention or he gets furious. What if I got furious that he doesn't listen to me either? What if I acted just like he does??? The mind reels...