The Rules Are Tricky

As discussed, my office is not so much an office as an "office" or cube with elongated walls. This means that I can hear everything that goes on in other "offices". Unlike regular cubeland, in which everyone knows you can hear everything, our "offices" are built upon the illusion that they are real, proper offices. To admit I can hear anything would be admitting that the offices are shoddy bits of plywood covered in bulletin boards whose "walls" do not even extend to the ceiling. I have been willing to play along with this "Emperor's New Clothes" type setup, however I am beginning to be confused about the rules.

Apparently, I cannot hear anything when: my boss is upset, crass jokes are made between friends, people bitch about their co-workers.

I am supposed to hear when: my boss calls my name, someone has a work-related problem with which I can help.

Gray area: a conversation begins as a personal one, then veers into business territory and someone calls out to me "Hey, did you catch that?"

I always err on the side of deafness, but now co-workers are beginning to think I am a little slow, rather than simply hearing-impaired or "office"-etiquette retarded.