Double Curveball
OPEN: JANUS FILE #0285
I have mentioned this on more than one occasion, but I seem to have a particular talent for curveballing people. If I had to hazard a guess, I think it's because I tend to have a somewhat skewed view on the universe. I also have an inability to resist a straight line. You give me the setup, and I will zing you.
I had the opportunity to show off my curveballing skills yet again this past Saturday -- not once, but twice, and to the same person.
I was in Mall St. Matthews Saturday afternoon. As I was walking through the mall, I saw a display that was set up by one of Louisville's Catholic schools, Assumption High School. Presumably, this was an informational exhibit, trying to convince middle school girls and their parents to choose Assumption over the other Catholic schools, or even the Jefferson County Public Schools.
As I was past the display, I saw a couple of girls (presumably, Assumption students) in Assumption sweatshirts and khakis. One of them was holding a sign that said, "Ask Me."
This was too good to pass up. I walked over to her, and with a smile that you probably see only on The Joker, I asked with as much innocence as I could muster, "What do you want me to ask you?"
They dissolved into a mass of giggles. I think that was the last thing they were expecting. I added, "Sorry, but that was too good to pass up." That brought another giggle or two.
I walked away from them, and a wonman with the display -- either a teacher or a mother of one of the girls there, and I'm not certain which -- asked me, "Did you ask them a question that was too hard for them?" I repeated what I had asked the girls, and she found that even funnier than the girls had.
Before I continued my sojourn through the mall, one last thing occurred to me. I went back to the two girls, and I asked, "Do you know the value of pi to 35 decimal places?"
This time, I got a couple of blank stares. "It's 3.14159265358979323846264338327950288." The stares turned a little goggle-eyed. Then, I continued on my merry way.
As a venerable sage and philosopher once said, oops, I did it again.
CLOSE: JANUS FILE #0285
I have mentioned this on more than one occasion, but I seem to have a particular talent for curveballing people. If I had to hazard a guess, I think it's because I tend to have a somewhat skewed view on the universe. I also have an inability to resist a straight line. You give me the setup, and I will zing you.
I had the opportunity to show off my curveballing skills yet again this past Saturday -- not once, but twice, and to the same person.
I was in Mall St. Matthews Saturday afternoon. As I was walking through the mall, I saw a display that was set up by one of Louisville's Catholic schools, Assumption High School. Presumably, this was an informational exhibit, trying to convince middle school girls and their parents to choose Assumption over the other Catholic schools, or even the Jefferson County Public Schools.
As I was past the display, I saw a couple of girls (presumably, Assumption students) in Assumption sweatshirts and khakis. One of them was holding a sign that said, "Ask Me."
This was too good to pass up. I walked over to her, and with a smile that you probably see only on The Joker, I asked with as much innocence as I could muster, "What do you want me to ask you?"
They dissolved into a mass of giggles. I think that was the last thing they were expecting. I added, "Sorry, but that was too good to pass up." That brought another giggle or two.
I walked away from them, and a wonman with the display -- either a teacher or a mother of one of the girls there, and I'm not certain which -- asked me, "Did you ask them a question that was too hard for them?" I repeated what I had asked the girls, and she found that even funnier than the girls had.
Before I continued my sojourn through the mall, one last thing occurred to me. I went back to the two girls, and I asked, "Do you know the value of pi to 35 decimal places?"
This time, I got a couple of blank stares. "It's 3.14159265358979323846264338327950288." The stares turned a little goggle-eyed. Then, I continued on my merry way.
As a venerable sage and philosopher once said, oops, I did it again.
CLOSE: JANUS FILE #0285