a matter of understanding

Our internet and cable service has had some issues, and as such the cable company is digging up part of our yard and sidewalk to lay new cable.  Because of this, the utilities have been marked in our yard with both spray paint and flags.  Corbin is fascinated with the flags.  Today is the big day where the cable is being layed underground.  When we were leaving for school this morning, Corbin saw them starting to work -- the sign we've been telling him he had to wait for in order to take the flags out of the yard. 

The pulling of the flags didn't quite happen as I had expected it to, since Corbin still doesn't quite say his "L's" accurately all of the time.  Here's how it went down:

Setting: Workers were getting all of thier tools and machinery out of there trucks, and several neighbors were walking there dogs past our house. 
Corbin: "Mommy, can I grab the fags in the yard now?"
Me - noticing the neighbors slowed thier pace and turned thier gaze toward us, and knowing they didn't need to dig in the front yard. "Yes."
Corbin: "Hurray!" and he instantly ran to the yard and grabbed the flags.

I really want to know what the neighbors and workers were thinking in that split second between the time I told Corbin he could grab the fags and he reached for the flags.  A true matter of understanding.