Page 7 | To wonder what stupid questions you've been asked

backtolifebacktoreality · 2021-12-09T09:58:20+00:00

Last weekend I phoned a local florists and asked them to send some flowers to a nearby friend. The friend lives in a relatively small cul de sac. The florist obviously asked the address for them to be delivered to. I advised they lived at No 12. She then went on asking all sorts of questions about how she could find the house once in the street, ie what side of the road etc. She then asked questions about what would make the house recognisable to her, ie what colour front door. I had to bite my lip but really wanted to respond "the fact that is has the number 12 on the door"!

SilverHairedCat · 09/12/2021 15:46

@EmJay19 the more batshittery I come across on this subject the more rude I am to the idiot that says it to me.... I have nil patience with "its only an idea" or "my sister's cousins aunties mate had a baby that way". I'm just blunt now. Off they should fuck.

1099 · 09/12/2021 15:47

My brother once sent me a text to ask if my phone had texting on it, (early mobile phone days) I replied that no it didn't. He then rang me instead.

MrsMoastyToasty · 09/12/2021 15:49

When I was working in the call centre of a water company.
"Hi, I think my false teeth fell down the toilet when I was sick and I might have flushed them away. Can I have them back? ".
(Had to explain that they might have floated down the sewerage system to the treatment works and would you really want them? ...)

AmIgoinghomeforXmas · 09/12/2021 15:51

@Africa2go

Boy and girl twins.

"Are they identical?"

Repeatedly. And more than once by a medical professional

I came on to say this 🤣

muddyford · 09/12/2021 15:53

I worked in a shop in the edge of a green space surrounding a cathedral. The number of people who came in asking, "Where is the cathedral?" ! I took to pointing silently out the window at this vast architectural marvel.

JellyBabiesSaveLives · 09/12/2021 15:57

Standard health questionnaires on travel insurance quotes. Having established that my child has Type 1 diabetes, the next question is “do they use insulin”? Err, yes, that’s how they’re alive and need insurance

Frazzledmummy123 · 09/12/2021 16:00

I have twins, and was asked "did you try for twins?"

Also, another time in Boots chemist I was collecting a prescription for my 6 year old daughter and the pharnacist was running through safety questions. First was asking her date of birth, then a few questions later, "is there any chance she might be pregnant?". She didn't even realise after she said it and casually ticked no when I said "no"

Justheretoaskaquestion91 · 09/12/2021 16:01

I was at a baby first aid course once and someone asked “what do we do if the baby swallows a knife”. The paramedic clearly regretted saying there was no such thing as a stupid question.

Sleepyquest · 09/12/2021 16:04

My DH asked me this morning
'What's in the tumble dryer?'
I said '4 puppies'
He pointed out he wanted to know exactly what was in there so he knew what cycle should go on. So maybe I'm a horrible hormonal pregnant

Onlinedilema · 09/12/2021 16:06

Regarding the house number issue, I always remember being asked "What is the make, model, and colour of the car on your drive?" I always think this is very good for finding someone's address. If course the employee had my exact address too.

fakereview · 09/12/2021 16:07

To be honest I didn't know that boys and girls are not identical twins until very recently even if they look identical. I don't think people understand the different types of twins so it's not that stupid.

I have a friend who is one of triplets but actually she has a identical twin and a non-identical twin (and her non-identical twin has two non-identical twin sisters). It starts to blow your mind after a while.

fakereview · 09/12/2021 16:07

her non-identical twin has two non-identical twin sisters ie they look like each other but not like her

LazyDragonTooth · 09/12/2021 16:10

I moved to a new flat and realised the estate agent hadn't included a key to the postbox. It was one of those built into the wall, so flap on the outside and a little door to unlock inside the building. I called and asked if they had a key, in case it wasn't handed back or something, and said I'd be there in a couple of hours to pick it up. He said 'Oh it's a bit far, I could just post this to you'. I say um.... I'd need the key to unlock the box to get the key. He says 'ok, but are you sure I shouldn't just post it?'.

I don't think it ever occurred to him just how posting it wouldn't work!

saleorbouy · 09/12/2021 16:11

What's it like being a twin? How would I know I don't know any different so can hardly make comparisons.

EKGEMS · 09/12/2021 16:13

"When you look in a mirror how do you know it's YOU in the reflection and not your twin (identical) sister?

AmIgoinghomeforXmas · 09/12/2021 16:15

@fakereview nobody could be identical and a different sex.
Because the different sex is a huge difference, there is the chromosomal difference, most cells in the body are sexed, let alone the physical differences.

It isn't about types of twins it is about fundamental male female sex differences. It is a basic biological impossibility for a male and female to be biologically identical.

IntermittentParps · 09/12/2021 16:15

@Spanielsarepainless

I worked in a shop in the edge of a green space surrounding a cathedral. The number of people who came in asking, "Where is the cathedral?" ! I took to pointing silently out the window at this vast architectural marvel.

Reminds me of my friend in Edinburgh who used to be stopped in the street and asked, multiple times in a day, 'Where's the castle, mate?' as it hulked over them both.

WeBuiltThisBuffetOnSausageRoll · 09/12/2021 16:15

With the colour surnames, yes, they can sometimes be spelled differently, but wouldn't you expect the default to be the actual colour name (with the possible exception of Grey/Gray)? I've never personally heard of 'Gryn', but surely people would say "It's Browne - with an e" or "It's Whyte - with a 'y', not an 'i'" ?

As has already been said, you sometimes get used to asking stupid questions/saying stupid things in your line of work, to allow for and counteract the very common stupidity of those you're serving. Plenty
of people do somehow think that asking for a form back is just because you somehow want a few bits of paper to put in a tray and don't actually compute that the questions in the form were asked because you need to know the answers to them.

I always remember around 20 years ago when we moved house and I called BT to ask to be listed in the phone directory (older people: remember those?!) The woman I spoke to made it very clear that we wouldn't appear until the next edition of the phone book (paper/hardcopies were all there were back then). When I laughed and replied that I had realised that, she sighed and said "Oh, you'd be amazed at how many people call us straight back and complain that their phone book hasn't magically updated!"

ChickChickaBumBum · 09/12/2021 16:17

Colour surname. Pink.

1forAll74 · 09/12/2021 16:25

I had to take some form or other into an insurance place 16 years ago,after my Mum had died, it was a few days before her funeral. The man on the desk said, your Mother has not signed this particular document, so we can't process it yet, is there any chance you can get her to sign it soon. I said, hang on, I will just rush to the funeral parlour before they put the lid down on her coffin, and see if she will oblige.

Strangely, everyone in earshot in the room, burst out laughing at this, but not the man who asked the stupid question.!

zeddybrek · 09/12/2021 16:27

I was 17 years old and applying for a Saturday job at a well known national retailer. This is how the beginning of the interview went.

Interviewer: your name is nice, I have never heard of it before. Where are your family from?
Me: well my parents came from xyz country.
Interviewer: you're very fair for someone originally from there. Is your Dad white?
Me: no
Interviewer: is your mum white?
Me: no

ZeroFsKarma · 09/12/2021 16:34

I can think of a stupid question I have asked, once on a night out a man walked out of a bar couched between cars & vomitted. I asked my friend "is he pissing or weeing?" lol!

supersop60 · 09/12/2021 16:35

Re house numbers - having helped with the Scout Post for a number of years, it's definitely not straightforward.
Best one for me was a visitor trying to find our house , say no 52. She rang "I can't find you, I'm in your road"
I said "What number are you near?"
"No. 4"
"Can you see no.6?"
"Yes"
"Then stay on that side and walk in that direction!"
derr.

Danikm151 · 09/12/2021 16:37

I moved house and needed to cancel my virgin as they didn't supply to my new flat....
Call centre working evidently wanted to keep a customer.
Me: I'd like to cancel please as you don't cover my area
Him: Let me check that for you just in case. yes we don't cover your area, are you sure you want to cancel? We can offer you a cheaper deal.

SDTGisAnEvilWolefGenius · 09/12/2021 16:45

@fakereview

To be honest I didn't know that boys and girls are not identical twins until very recently even if they look identical. I don't think people understand the different types of twins so it's not that stupid.

I have a friend who is one of triplets but actually she has a identical twin and a non-identical twin (and her non-identical twin has two non-identical twin sisters). It starts to blow your mind after a while.

Identical does mean exactly the same - even if boy and girl twins look alike, there is a rather obvious difference - willy/no willy - hence not identical.