My Mother’s Advice
My mother always had a funny saying that stuck with me: “Boy, if somebody asks you a stupid question, you give them a stupid answer.” This philosophy has stuck with me, and I’ve often embraced it, especially in ridiculous situations. Here are a couple of times I applied this principle and had a good laugh.
The Encounter with the Cops
One day, while driving peacefully, a police officer pulled me over. He walked up to my window and asked, “Would you like to step out of the car?”
Without missing a beat, I replied with a grin, “Hell no! It’s hot outside, but I’ve got the air conditioning on full blast. How about you hop in here with me?” The absurdity of my response caught the officer off guard, and we both ended up sharing a good laugh.
A Classroom Surprise
In school, a teacher enjoyed embarrassing students with tricky questions. One day, he put me on the spot and asked, “How many kidneys do we have?”
Without hesitation, I confidently answered, “Four!” The classroom erupted in laughter, and the teacher joined in, mocking my response. Seizing the opportunity to embarrass me further, he assigned me a task.
“Bring a bundle of grass since we apparently have a donkey in the room,” the teacher ordered a frontbencher.
But I wasn’t one to back down easily. I promptly shot back, “And for me, a coffee!” This unexpected retort enraged the teacher, who then kicked me out of the room.
As I walked out, still confident, I couldn’t resist correcting him one last time. “You asked how many kidneys ‘we have’. We have four: two of mine and two of yours. ‘We have’ is used for the plural. Enjoy your grass!”
The Takeaway
Sometimes, a silly and unexpected response can turn a mundane situation into a memorable one. When faced with a stupid question, don’t be afraid to give a silly answer. You never know, it might just bring a smile to someone’s face!