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.

NICE!!!!

We all find ourselves in places and new situations all the time. Get to know new people, never-before-met relatives at some function/gathering, old classmates at reunion (yeah, after 5/10 years they ARE pretty "new" too!) or whatever. And suddenly you receive a COMPLIMENT. 

"Nice dress!" / "Nice speech/presentation mate!" / "Nice hairstyle!" "Wow! you look really fit!" [:D] 

You probably get the picture from the last compliment. What I'm trying to say that how would you react/reply to a compliment from a totally/quite unknown person, WHO could be a potential competitor, harmless colleague, good natured anybody, a probable friend for life, a maybe-Friday-night date OR even a really bad hazard for your shy soul.

So how would you reply (verbally, of course!) to

A TOTAL STRANGER - A NEW PLACE/SITUATION - A STRAIGHT-FACE COMPLIMENT ?

P.S. I am seeking suggestions to a cool new theme/template for the blog. Anything that makes posting as well as commenting a bit simpler (than present), retains the current spacing (a bit wide screen) can in some way relate to content and look rather cool too! please email me download links/codes/ templates in zips or rars ... etc. at: sanket.rathod@gmail.com THANK YOU!

So, who's he/she?

Okay, we've all faced this situation. The person is a really irritating colleague/friend/relative/nobody. After quite a few weeks you find yourself cheerful and smiling for whatever reason on a Monday morning. And this PERSON pops up and asks you this with large bulging eyes, step dancing eyebrows and smile that makes you want to punch him/her in the face:

"SO, WHO'S HE/SHE?"

And there goes your chance at a cheerful Monday. How do you tackle that?

How much time have you got?

Is that a trick question?

Now now! I'm not talking about trick questions here, like, "There are thirteen apples in a basket... or how many sheep out of fifteen... etc"

But I'm talking about trick questions in life, in day to day conversations,with friends, family and strangers alike. I'm talking about questions that make you answer even unwillingly. Though maybe partially.

For example:

A work colleague asking you if you are feeling hungry - may want to ask you out for lunch or may want to ask if you've BROUGHT packed lunch that you could offer to him/her. It may mean something totally unexpected with "double"/negative meanings OR he/she may be simply asking if you are hungry.

Most of us are the not-paranoid types and don't think too much over questions that are not directly asked. But, then, similar situations do occur in life, where we ARE forced to think twice/thrice/etc. and consider which answer we do actually present.

And it is for these situations that I started this blog. I would like to hear different answers from you, readers, for some "trick" questions that I come "face to face", literally, in my day to day life. I might also include the answers that I've already received or the answer that I myself gave right away under stress.

I also look forward to converting this blog eventually into a team-blog if there are any regular/frequent commenters/participators, who will be providing their own trick questions from life.

Now, the question, "Is that a trick question?" itself is a trick question that some of my friends have pulled on me when I was simply asking a regular question. I don't remember accurately any of my original replies but i DO remember feeling whether my friend felt a bit insulted/hurt or was actually willing to reveal more than what I originally intended to ask. Since he/she was my friend and I certainly didn't want him/her to feel bad I answered (in one way or other) that he/she may not reply to my question if he/she didn't want to. That is why I feel the importance of stating how the person asking the question is related to me. And that is what I (and future team members) will do while presenting trick questions: present briefly the scenario, state  relationship with the person asking questions and then state the question. (And then wait for the replies/answers to come from readers, of course!)

I also plan to inviting a few people I know, and whose blogs I follow to get this thing started. But for now I wait for people to just stumble upon. It might not work just yet, "The Season" has not yet arrived! :(

Well, here's the first one:

How would you feel if a friend (not necessarily one of your best mates but certainly a good friend) calls u up and after the simplest and most basic greetings and 'how r u-s', asks u this, "Hey! How much time have you got? Can you talk for long?"

I myself understood that my friend wanted to talk about something important to him and something that's going to take long, which I might've ignored in the past, so I said, 'Yeah, I got time... for now. I'll let you know if something comes up. So - go on - what's up?'

Now, how would you answer to the question,

"Hey! How much time have you got? Can you talk (on phone) for long?"