# People who say deceptive/confusing things on purpose, then laugh **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [April 22, 2006, 6:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-who-say-deceptive-confusing-things-on-purpose-then-laugh/353733 "2006-04-22T06:50:26Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 13\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![AncientHumanoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ancienthumanoid/32/278_2.png) [@AncientHumanoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AncientHumanoid)\ **Post date:** [April 23, 2006, 10:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-who-say-deceptive-confusing-things-on-purpose-then-laugh/353733/41 "2006-04-23T22:08:28Z")
> [@fetus](#): > > She’s referring to a comedy routine I know. I was waiting for **Guin** to take the bait so I could laugh. 😛 ---
**Author:** ![Guinastasia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guinastasia/32/5751_2.png) [@Guinastasia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guinastasia)\ **Post date:** [April 23, 2006, 10:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-who-say-deceptive-confusing-things-on-purpose-then-laugh/353733/42 "2006-04-23T22:15:05Z")
> [@NoClueBoy](#): > > I know. I was waiting for **Guin** to take the bait so I could laugh. > 😛 Ah, but it wasn’t a very good bait-perhaps you had never heard the routine. ---
**Author:** ![AncientHumanoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ancienthumanoid/32/278_2.png) [@AncientHumanoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AncientHumanoid)\ **Post date:** [April 23, 2006, 10:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-who-say-deceptive-confusing-things-on-purpose-then-laugh/353733/43 "2006-04-23T22:31:48Z")
> [@Guinastasia](#): > > Ah, but it wasn’t a very good bait-perhaps you had never heard the routine. It’s all I had to work with in this thread. Besides, if anyone in North America hasn’t at least heard of the bit, then they’ve been living under a rock. It predates BCC, has been played on Top 40 Radio, has been on all the late night shows, has had comedy specials featuring it (on cable and free TV), and has been e-mailed, faxed, and parodied by workmates and relatives for years. ---
**Author:** ![Asimovian](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/asimovian/32/172_2.png) [@Asimovian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Asimovian)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2006, 2:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-who-say-deceptive-confusing-things-on-purpose-then-laugh/353733/44 "2006-04-24T02:47:07Z")
> [@Rigamarole](#): > > Example: I am working a temporary job giving people surveys on the Metrolink trains. Huh…I may have run into you, depending on what train you worked. I was on the 3:20 to San Bernardino out of Union Station on Friday. 😃 At any rate, I tend to agree with the point of your OP, especially given the first example you listed. It seems as though he was more interested in making fun of you than making you a part of his joke. That’s just annoying and immature. Without having witnessed it, it’s hard to guess exactly what he had in mind, but I certainly don’t blame you for feeling the way you did about it. ---
**Author:** ![Rigamarole](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/77aa72/32.png) [@Rigamarole](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rigamarole)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2006, 4:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-who-say-deceptive-confusing-things-on-purpose-then-laugh/353733/45 "2006-04-24T04:06:11Z")
> [@Asimovian](#): > > Huh…I may have run into you, depending on what train you worked. I was on the 3:20 to San Bernardino out of Union Station on Friday. 😃 Hah! Did you take a survey? I actually worked the San Bernardino trains Friday, I am 90% sure I was on that one. (still could have been in a different car though) 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Derleth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b9e5f3/32.png) [@Derleth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Derleth)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2006, 6:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-who-say-deceptive-confusing-things-on-purpose-then-laugh/353733/46 "2006-04-24T06:42:42Z")
> [@Rigamarole](#): > > Did you make up that quote after creating the analogy, or did you make the analogy to fit the quote? I think you just like the quote. I thought of the quote just as I was writing it, there at the end of the post. I made up the analogy on the fly and the quote came to me there at the end. I do like it. I hope I get a chance to use it again. ---
**Author:** ![Rigamarole](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/77aa72/32.png) [@Rigamarole](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rigamarole)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2006, 6:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-who-say-deceptive-confusing-things-on-purpose-then-laugh/353733/47 "2006-04-24T06:49:47Z")
> [@Derleth](#): > > I thought of the quote just as I was writing it, there at the end of the post. I made up the analogy on the fly and the quote came to me there at the end. > > I do like it. I hope I get a chance to use it again. Yeah, I was just curious. The only problem is it doesn’t have anything to do with what I was talking about. (smiley-face to show non-intent of malice ABSENT!) ---
**Author:** ![Hamadryad](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/6de8d8/32.png) [@Hamadryad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hamadryad)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2006, 12:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-who-say-deceptive-confusing-things-on-purpose-then-laugh/353733/48 "2006-04-24T12:47:25Z")
> [@NoClueBoy](#): > > It’s all I had to work with in this thread. Besides, if anyone in North America hasn’t at least heard of the bit, then they’ve been living under a rock. It predates BCC, has been played on Top 40 Radio, has been on all the late night shows, has had comedy specials featuring it (on cable and free TV), and has been e-mailed, faxed, and parodied by workmates and relatives for years. Yeah, I found the routine a lot funnier back when Al Jaffee drew them up for MAD Magazine and called it “Snappy Answers to Stupid Questions.” \ ---
**Author:** ![Asimovian](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/asimovian/32/172_2.png) [@Asimovian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Asimovian)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2006, 12:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-who-say-deceptive-confusing-things-on-purpose-then-laugh/353733/49 "2006-04-24T12:51:14Z")
> [@Rigamarole](#): > > Hah! Did you take a survey? I actually worked the San Bernardino trains Friday, I am 90% sure I was on that one. (still could have been in a different car though) 🙂 Of course I took a survey! I’ve been riding that train for over four years now…only the third time I can recall them doing surveys. It takes 3 minutes and you have a chance to voice your opinion – I can’t see why anyone _wouldn’t_ take one. And I was in the car closest to the engine…there were two lovely ladies who were expertly handling the surveys there. I wouldn’t be the least surprised if you were one of them. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Asimovian](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/asimovian/32/172_2.png) [@Asimovian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Asimovian)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2006, 12:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-who-say-deceptive-confusing-things-on-purpose-then-laugh/353733/50 "2006-04-24T12:53:14Z")
> [@Asimovian](#): > > …there were two lovely ladies who were expertly handling the surveys there. I wouldn’t be the least surprised if you were one of them. 🙂 Er, unless of course, you _aren’t_ a lady, in which case, I didn’t see you. :smack: ---
**Author:** ![Rigamarole](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/77aa72/32.png) [@Rigamarole](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rigamarole)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2006, 3:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-who-say-deceptive-confusing-things-on-purpose-then-laugh/353733/51 "2006-04-24T15:20:00Z")
> [@Asimovian](#): > > Er, unless of course, you _aren’t_ a lady, in which case, I didn’t see you. :smack: Which, I must admit, is the case. However I work with the ladies you’re referring to. I’ll tell them **Asimovian** said “hi”. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![cowgirl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/8c91f0/32.png) [@cowgirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cowgirl)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2006, 3:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-who-say-deceptive-confusing-things-on-purpose-then-laugh/353733/52 "2006-04-24T15:46:42Z")
I once worked in a very long and narrow store with a few people who were very wide. The entrance to the store was particularly narrow, and when a person of any girth was standing in it, it was hard to get past. So one day I had to go in, I was carrying a big bus tray, and the broadest of my co-workers was standing in the entrance and totally blocking my path. I said “Excuse me.” She said “What’d you do, fart? [guffaw]” and then, when I looked at her blankly, she presumed I had no sense of humour. I almost brained her with a lipstick-stained coffee cup. To this day I’m sorry I didn’t. ---
**Author:** ![jali](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ecae2f/32.png) [@jali](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jali)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2006, 5:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-who-say-deceptive-confusing-things-on-purpose-then-laugh/353733/53 "2006-04-24T17:42:26Z")
I’ll admit that I’m guilty of this sometimes. I know it’s not the fault of the employee, but I detest being asked if I “want an apple pie” to go with whatever I may have ordered. I usually answer, “if you’re treating.” Most of the cashiers laugh a little, but some look truly confused. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-who-say-deceptive-confusing-things-on-purpose-then-laugh/353733.md?page=2)