The Nets, for the most part, respond patiently to their coach's obsession.

In a telephone interview, he responded patiently, almost wearily, to Cooper's contentions.

Then he patiently responded to each question about his personal life with essentially the same answer: The allegations weren't true.

'Alex,' he responded patiently, 'what goes on in these first eighteen months is absolutely critical to her whole life.'

Paula patiently responded to his simple questions, knowing all the while that he had no interest in her answers.

He receives visitors, patiently responding to questions with one- or two-word answers.

But the discomfiting thought did occur to me, as I patiently responded to his interrogation, that he was also scrutinizing my veracity.

And I patiently responded as each one awkwardly practiced asking me the same set of intrusive questions.

"I don't think anything yet," Eddie responded patiently.

"It wasn't just what we found," Shumar responded patiently.