Saturday, November 21, 2009

Can I ask you a question?

"Can I ask you a question?' is perhaps the most common, the most widely used and abused trick question of all time, strutting its stuff all over the world, plaguing people in every possible language, probably in sign too. And inevitably, this question comes when you're hard-pressed for time, patience, solitude etc etc, all of which definitely make the question a pain in every possible orifice in the human body including the pores on your skin.

Two of the most common responses to the question are almost equally trite.

The resigned will say, "Yeah sure," while they're actually cursing everything from the person, to the pavement to the fates.

The cocky ones will say, "You already did, but you can ask me another," mentally patting themselves on the back and preening because they feel they've got some of their own back.

9 comments:

  1. Wow! What a theme. Especially useful for the henpecked boyfriend. Rest assured I am a regular reader from now on.

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  2. It's too much to hope that I can say 'no' without being bitched about. So it's the former for me.

    :)

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  3. Trick Question or not, this question always irritates me. Whoever is asking is gonna ask anyway. So I always say 'NO' - flat out!

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  4. T-Rex- HA!
    That does say it all.

    Ki- More than being bitched about, I just feel stupid saying No.So I stick to being dolt who says Yeah sure even though I may be developing a rash on the insides.

    Sanket- I know. But it's just odd that they use a question as an introduction for whatever their end is. I alway prefer if people get straight to the point rather than gothrough the pointless, obligatory verbal jousting.

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  5. guilty as charged! on askin the ?

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  6. i don't know.. i always say.. no, please don't. and they shut up.

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  7. trick questions are always a great opportunity to play with other's mind... ^_^

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  8. i just stare at them, meaning "r u out of ur mind? tell me already without wasting anymore time of mine"..

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  9. This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.

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