The husband has a little-known quirk when it comes to counting with his fingers. I first discovered this peculiarity not long after we started dating. We had a *study session in the campus canteen to mug for our finals and we were testing each other on one of those media theories I never really understood.
To illustrate point 1, he raised his thumb to form a “good” sign – which was fine and totally normal.
To illustrate point 2, he raised his thumb and index finger – also normal.
At point 3, he raised his thumb, index finger and middle finger. Which led me to assume that at point 4, he would also raise his fourth finger like most normal people would.
But at point 4, he raised his first 3 fingers and his pinky, like he was making a claw.
Me: What’s that?
Husband: *still holding the claw* What’s what? You didn’t understand content analysis?
Me: No, that. *pointing to the claw*
Husband: *still holding the claw* You mean point 4?
Me: Seriously, your point 4 is the spiderman claw?
Husband: How do you do point 4, genius?
Me: Like normal people do…with the pinky down. Or with the thumb down.
Husband: I am holding up 4 fingers, that counts as 4 right?
Me: I don’t think it works that way. That’s distracting, like you’re missing a finger. Just do this. *held up my first 4 fingers with the pinky down*
Husband: I can’t. My fingers hurt.
Me: Ok stop it, you’re making it worse. Now it’s like a chicken claw. How about you don’t ever count with your fingers?
***
What I forgot to add was that he’s also not supposed to teach the kids how to count with their fingers. Because this is what happens.
*By study session, I mean a session where we engaged in intellectual discourses on media theories instead of say, watching Will Farrell videos on youtube.
15 Comments
Haha! I count the exact same way. Because I always forget to start with my pinky, and it is physically impossible for me to lift the ringfinger before the pinky. If I try, the pinky follows it up. :P
Hahaha the husband is thrilled to know that he’s not the only one with the spiderman claw.
Ahh this reminds me why I always use my right hand to count “4” instead of my left hand. Because like your husband, (all attempts in) raising my fourth finger just hurts; my pinky will end up erected at a 90 deg angle of my fourth finger.
So to make things simpler, I always counts like this (be it right hand or left hand):
To count one: Raises thumb
To count two: Raises thumb and index finger
To count three: Raises thumb, index finger, and middle finger
To count four: All fingers are raised except the thumb, which is tucked back in.
Seriously? So you can do it with your right hand but not with your left? Well at least it’s 1 out of 2 heh..
I always thought the spiderman “claw” was when the middle finger is down and the rest are up haha… luckily I never showed anybody MY spiderman claw ;p
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Actually you’re sort of right. The official spiderman claw is with the middle and the fourth finger down but when I first saw the husband’s point 4, it just seemed too much like the spiderman claw even though it’s missing one finger.
Haha.. as I was reading the first part I was wondering what has this got to do with the children.And the last finger says it all of course.
On the counting, I thought children count starting from their index fingers so they can just move down towards the pinky and when it gets to 3 the thumb can hold down the pinky and thumb is last. Oh and I remember when I was in kindergarten it was considered quite a feat to be able to count 3 with middle finger, ring finger and pinky. How nice those days when being “clever” entailed just being able to count like the adults.
Not very sure what they’re taught in school but it seems like my kids picked up the husband’s way of counting. Maybe they think it’s cool.
That picture of Tru makes me so happy! But can they count without using the claw way? You know, like the normal way?
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They can also do it with the thumb down but not with the pinky down.. I think they inherited the husband’s less flexible finger genes.
I cannot do the spiderman, so sad. Fourth finger kept shivering after I bend it :(
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LOL! Hope you didn’t injure it or anything..
I do that too! And I get teased by my friends on it, like why do I count in such a weird way, haha..
I really had no idea so many people did this! It’s like a secret spiderman club
LOL this is hilarious~ though I knew some ppl do have problems with some fingers, the part how Tru was taught made me laugh..