Let’s take each one by ear

Alison (check her blog at www.absolutely-write.co.uk ), a follower of this website, was drinking coffee in a neighborhood cafe, trying not to listen to the eager young man in a suit sitting behind her, who was talking loudly into his phone. As he was finishing up his conversation, he said “Yeah, well, let’s take each one by ear”.  She correctly noted that the speaker was probably muddling up “let’s take each one as it comes” and “let’s play it by ear”.   Thank you Alison for submitting this malaphor!