Yeppers
Is it a matter of changing vocabulary?
Was the weather compared to something else? An object? A person? A concept? An activity? A point in time?
Was it described as making someone feel a certain way?
Is a parasol or umbrella involved?
Any piece of equipment or clothing that might be useful, depending on weather?
Did the book take place on Earth?
Is the misunderstanding related to the color of the sky? A word that the elder person interprets as grey and the younger person blue?
Good so far. We’re getting there.
Was the color of the sky compared to something … like the sea ?
NO.
But yes it was compared to something.
Was the colour of the sky compared to something that used to be grey but is now blue?
Was it compared to something which while it can be either blue or grey is now more commonly blue?
Was it cmpared to something which older people tend to encounter grey ones and younger people blue ones?
I think we are just about close enough here, but can anyone think of something that used to be grey, but is now blue?
I can give a hint in a bit.
Is the thing metaphorical or a physical object?
Is it governmental, commercial or naturally occurring?
Yeppers
This makes me think of “the sky” as viewed on old black-and-white televisions vs. modern televisions that show a colourful blue. Something like that?
It’s a physical technology object, and these objects would have been gray in the past but are blue today.
Are they handheld objects?
Do most older people still think of them as grey, or are they pretty much blue for everyone now?
This is the answer.
The book is Neuromancer by William Gibson. It’s opening line is:
Dad thought it was grey and static color. Girl thought it was blue.
I have NEVER seen a sky the color of the blue screen of death.
A 5-problem puzzle in 1!
+++++
* A boy falls into a hole and cannot get out. No nearby rope or ladder is available. How is he rescued?
*A woman is trying to watch a romance movie on television. The video on the TV is fine, but something is wrong with the audio and she cannot hear what is going on. Her niece has an idea to help. What?
* An entertainment company has an issue with unauthorized access to their product by certain non-paying customers. How is unauthorized access prevented?
* Two fellows wearing large hats are outside walking to a party on a gusty day. One of them has a problem with the wind blowing off his hat. Then other does not. Why not?
* A lady has a terrible migraine headache and needs absolute silence in her home. Even the clock is too noisy. What to do?
+++++
In each of the above cases the problem is solved by the use of a particular object (or in one case objects). It is same object in each situation! What is this object?
Bonus points for how the object is used each time.
Are these real situations or hypotheticals?
Is the important part the material the object is made of?
The shape of the object?
A use it was designed for?
Did any of these cases involve putting this thing on someone’s ears?
(I sat out the last one because I was already familiar with the quote - still clever, though! But now I’m back.)
reply to Ana_Byrd:
Are these real situations or hypotheticals? Fictional.
Is the important part the material the object is made of? Yes.
The shape of the object? Yes
A use it was designed for? No
Did any of these cases involve putting this thing on someone’s ears?
No.
Is it a wire coat hanger ?
It’s always a wire coat hanger.
Is it Duct Tape?
WD-40?
That covers things that move when they shouldn’t and things that don’t move when they should.