There’s No Such Thing as a Dumb Question

By Patti Parish-Kaminski, Publisher

And just why am I sitting in a bathtub outside? At least I wasn’t naked?!?!

The older I get, the more questions I have. And I have a tendency to ask them. I’m not necessarily shy, I tend to make friends pretty easily, and if I see something of particular interest or of an infinite curiosity, I’ll just strike up a conversation with dang near anybody and pose a query. It’s not one of Mr. Kaminski’s favorite character traits about me, that I will assure you, because it doesn’t matter who the individual might be. I’m fascinated by so many things, and my ability to be intimated is pretty much nil.

Things that are downright perplexing to me are my downfall, I admit that. Just the other night I was at dinner with Mr. Kaminski, Uncle Marv and Big Sis Deb. I ordered a cosmo. It had been that kind of day. The waiter brought the chilled martini glass to our table, and I was so excited, but my dreams were instantly dashed when my glass arrived only two-thirds full. I looked at the waiter dead in the eye and posed the most obvious question as crestfallen as I possibly could. “Did you take a sip of my cosmo, because I don’t mind sharing?” He didn’t quite know what to do at first, but upon inspection – of both the glass and my face – he wholeheartedly agreed that someone – not him – had indeed been pre-sippin’ on my libation. “I’ll be right back,” he declared. I commenced to sippin’, and do you know what that precious man did? He had the bartender mix up another batch and filled my glass up to the rim right then and there at the table. See, it pays to be inquisitive.

I really will ask folks just about anything – what they’re eating, what a particular tattoo represents, how did they get their eye make-up to look so dang perfect, where are they from, how are they doing – you name it, I’ll ask it.

I believe asking questions really does pay off in a multitude of ways. Folks really appreciate it if you express an interest by asking about them – I believe that. I believe it’s kind, I believe it shows concern, I believe it’s an expression of humanity that is sorely missing in our society. It really doesn’t matter if you know them or not. If you ask about them, you’ll get to know them.

I know the folks at the drive-thrus that I frequent when I need my morning diet coke. I know the wait staff at our local restaurants, the ladies at the bank, the girls at the nail salon and the post office. I always inquire about them, their families – ask about them. They do the same. It’s the questions, the questions that let them know you care, that they matter.

So, take a moment, porch sitters, ask the questions, benign as you think they may be, whether you know people or not. Because the more questions you ask, the more you gain. And you never know. You may just make someone’s day by taking a minute to ask about them. See y’all next week – on the porch!

Patti Parish-Kaminski