So many questions, so few answers
One day last week I handed my younger son Justin, who’s 16, my bottle of chocolate milk.
The conversation went like this. Me: “Can you open this?”
Him: “You can’t open your chocolate milk?”
Me: “No.”
Him: “You need to work out more, mom...I’m not always going to be around to open your chocolate milk.”
I knew he was joking, but I felt like I was being scolded.
It’s always interesting when you ask a question. Sometimes you never know what the response from the other person will be.
And sometimes there is no answer at all.
Last Thursday night I walked into my kitchen and a survey company was having a conversation with my answering machine. I had heard the phone ring, but I hadn’t answered it. However, the non-person robotic survey questionnaire must have thought someone had answered because it was asking the questions anyway. I heard it say, “we only need a few moments of your time.”
And then it proceeded to ask, “do you think the government of Canada is doing a good job? Press 1 for yes. Press 2 for no. Press 3 for no opinion.”
I stood there staring at my answering machine to see what number it would push. It stayed silent.
Guess that counted as no opinion. I was bored for a few minutes after that, so I did something I rarely ever do. I decided to have some fun with Siri – that voice on my iPhone – and engage her in a conversation by asking her questions.
Our conversation went this:
Me: “What is the temperature in Yarmouth?”
Siri: “The temperature in Yarmouth, Maine is 37 degrees.”
Me: “What is the temperature in Yarmouth, Nova Scotia?”
Siri: “The temperature in Yarmouth, Maine is 37 degrees.”
Me: “Is that true?”
Siri: “I am not programmed to lie.”
Me: “What is the temperature in Celsius?”
Siri: “The temperature is three degrees.” like
Me: “How many bananas would it take to eat before you were really, really full?”
Siri proceeds to pull up a BBC story headlined: “Can eating more than six bananas kill you?”
Ummm…maybe we should skip to the next question.
Me: “Do you think I’m having a good hair day?”
Siri: “I really couldn’t say.”
Me: “What’s your favourite colour?”
Siri: “My favourite colour? It’s sort of greenish but with more dimensions.”
Me: “So like teal?”
Siri: “Hmmm…possibly.”
Me: “What is your favourite day of the week?”
Siri: “My name is Siri and I was designed by Apple in California. That’s all I’m prepared to say.”
Man, talk about avoiding the question.
Me: “What’s your favourite holiday.”
Siri: “I don’t like to play favourites.”
Me: “Are you very politically correct?”
Siri: “Sorry, I don’t really know.” Me: “How tall are you?”
Siri: “I contain multitudes.”
Me: “What does that mean?” Siri: “You got me.”
Me: “Do you eat ice cream?” Siri: “I leave the eating to you.” Feeling like our conversation was going nowhere, I decided to go back to my computer and do some work instead.
A few minutes later I was thirsty and went to the fridge and got out a bottle of chocolate milk. My son Justin walked in as I was opening the bottle – by myself.
“I see you’ve been working out,” he said.
LOL. Good answer.