1. Are You Okay?

I understand when people ask this question to a person who has fallen, but who isn’t showing any signs of physical pain. I’ve heard people ask if someone is okay as they are looking at the person bleeding profusely and howling in pain from a wound that was a result of their fall or accident. Obviously this bleeding person is in utter agony.

2. Do You Need Some Help?

I love it when people ask me this as I’m wheezing for air due to carrying a heavy object. If I am able to catch my breath, I usually come back with a smart alec remark of some sort.

3. Were You Sleeping?

When the phone rings at 1 a.m. and this question is asked, all I can do is roll my eyes. People who know I’m no spring chicken anymore know darn good and well that of course I was sleeping! I think if you have to call someone in the middle of the night, don’t ask that person if he/she was sleeping. Instead, try apologizing for waking their butt up. A polite, “I’m sorry to wake you up, but…” and fill in with the rest of your sentence.

4. Did You do Something Different to Your Hair?

Ok, the guy went from a shag do to a buzz cut. What do you think? Yes, Captain Obvious, there was some trimming of hairs involved. This question also gets a head shake when uttered to a person who has completely altered his/her hair color. Would you really forget overnight that your friend had blond hair yesterday and now she has purple? C’mon on.

5. What Are You Doing?

The phone rings and the first thing you hear is, “What are you doing?” to which my response usually is, “Talking to you.” What else would I be doing on the phone? Sure, most people want to find out what you were doing before you answered the telephone, but this isn’t their exact question. I still think it’s a silly question to ask someone you’ve just phoned.

6. Is It Hot Enough/cold Enough for Ya?

This question is a popular one down here in the southern states. Obviously I’m sweating my butt off just like the rest of the miserable beings trying to function in the intense heat during the summer, but I still get asked this question. I guess it comes with the territory and I’ll have to endure this somewhat rhetorical question as long as I live here.

7. Are We There Yet?

To this question, which was often uttered by kids traveling with my son and I when he was little, my reply always was the same, “Has the car stopped at the place we are going to?” If it was somewhere specific then I’d put that into the answer, such as “Have we made it to the grocery store yet?” Fortunately for me, my son was perfectly content to ride in the car without uttering a word. He was happy to be with his own thoughts or talk to me about something that was on his mind.

8. Are You Going Swimming?

Well, that just might explain the swimsuit, towel, and inflatable raft I’m carrying under my arm, wouldn’t it? This is another one of those questions that the person asking it has to know the answer to already, but he/she is just looking for a way to strike up a conversation or be polite. It’s still an odd one.

Feel free to add your own additions to these 8 stupid questions people ask in obvious situations. I'm sure you've heard of some great ones too! What do you do when someone asks you a question that you feel has an obvious answer to it?

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