On Selective Hearing

Whether being scolded or called to for some lap warming I pretty much only hear mom and dad when I want to.  When I try to climb on their lap while they're eating they say "Orbit, no!", but I only hear "        ".
     When they want me to sit in their lap and I'm across the room they call me with whistles and words, but what I hear is "         ".  
     Now and then when I toss up a hair ball I know it pisses them off, but what the hell, I'm a cat. The tone of their voices rises, they spout their words, but again, "       " is all I hear.  I love toying with them, too.  I walk toward them in their chairs, sometimes circling them and looking upward lovingly, then, just as they move whatever they're holding or pat their laps I turn and saunter away with my butt saying "Thanks, but I'm not interested." 
     My butt doesn't actually talk, but you know what I mean.  Well, sometimes it... oh, nevermind.


     Mom says dad also employs this sometimes-useful tool, but I don't think he'd want me to share that right now.