Conversing with a Male Teen

I found an old blog of mine and began re-reading the few entries I had written a couple of years back. I still remember this particular "moment" one morning before school... how incredibly frustrated I was with Austin at the time. Now that he's a thousand miles away and outside of the "I'm going to smack you" zone, I can look back and be amused at the typical conversations like this one he and I used to have all the time. Austin severly lacks any sort of communication skills except for grunts in reply to any question that I ask that I'm left to interpret soley on my own... or if I'm lucky enough to get a few words of English out of him, it's most likely going to be comprised of "i dunno know" or "that's stupid!"

Just this morning as my 16 yo was heading out the door for school, the conversation went something like this....

Austin: "Oh, you and Dad have been invited to the Junior/Senior Banquet. I need to let them know if you're coming."
Mom: "OK, when is it?"
Austin: "I dunno know"
Mom: "Well, find out and let me know, okay?"
Austin: "I kinda need to let them know today"
Mom: "For crying out loud, how can I know if we can go when I don't even know when it is?"
Austin: "I dunno know"

{{Long pause while we just stare at each other}}

Mom: "All right, fine, say we're coming"
Austin: "Ok good! What will you be eating?"
Mom: "Well, what are the choices?"
Austin: "Ummm... roast beef?"
Mom: "And ??"
Austin: "I dunno know"
Mom: "And when do you need to know this?"
Austin: "Today........ "
Austin: "Well, actually last week...."
Mom: "I can't decide what I want to eat unless I know the choices"
Austin: "Mom, can you just make it easy on me and pick roast beef?"
Mom: "FINE, Austin! Just put us down for roast beef then!"

My husband looks at me at this point and says, "Yup, he's his mother's son all right..."

Now what in the world does THAT mean ??