Childhood friend Sandy and I were discussing how men go quiet when you call them on something that they messed up on, and then you find yourself hurt AND talking to yourself. Her analysis was too funny not to share:

sandy: sometimes they’re quiet .. because they’re not nearly as quick in response as us..
sandy: they’re really thinking…
sandy: it’s not obvious to them…
sandy: it’s … “uh oh.. i fucked up”… “what should/could i say now?”
sandy: hence quiet.. while we’re like.. i can’t believe “YOU” have nothing to say..
sandy: and we come up with a whole bunch of things..
sandy: they they feel even stupider…
sandy: so they’re quiet again… now they have 2 thoughts to process.. not just one