Stupid Questions and the Hopefully smart People who ask them ???

When was the War of 1812?

"What time is the 7:30 show?" a woman asked me as I stood in or near the cashiers cage at Treasure Island hotel/casino in Las Vegas in the mid 90s. Treasure Island was then a Pirate themed casino/hotel that boasted a huge theatrical production of a battle between a pirate ship and a small British war ship as its featured attraction.

To maintain good guest relations, by not laughing at the question and thereby the guest , I  merely stood silent for several moments. After regaining my composure I took a deep breath and said simply...'about 9:30..." Several shows had show had been delayed that day for technical reasons as the shows often were.

 Most people who ask such questions do it by accident. like the woman I mentioned earlier.  Later that same year as I was standing in the Treasure Island hotel's frtont lobby another guest gestured at the front door and asked quite innocently "is that Las Vegas????' He likely meant to ask if that was Las Vegas Blvd. just outside the door of the hotel, but that is not how the question came out.

The silly question is sometimes best answerwed by a silly answer. The silly answer to a silly question is a game can be played deliberately if you practice. Once a tourist in that self same casino looked me straight in the eye and asked me if I knew where the bathroom was. I replied 'why yes I do I work here.' When I worked at a newspaper in Texas after I introduced myself as a reporter for the local rag and interviewed the person for nearly a half hour the person paused and in all seriousness asked "You're not going to puit this in the paper are you....????

It  is one I have learned to play well with my 12-year-old daughter Alyssa, someone those of you who read my blogs know well. Once she asked me "Daddy when will I get to date..."

I simply replied..."Yes."

once she asked me,  "Daddy can I borrow $5 ????

Correct Answer: The salad fork goers on the left.

Question. Daddy will you really take me shopping sor school clothes ????

Answer...silence and fidgeting upon realization that shopping for school clothes includes assorted underwear... Growing number of smiles int he room reveal that the joke is one me.

The war of 1812 started in June of 1812 if anybody is interested>>>>