Asking the Obvious: Breaking the Ice

I found it difficult to decide which is the appropriate title of this article. Initially, I jot down, "Five Stupid Questions a Baleten-on Asks". My better judgment however suggested that it should be in Inakeanon, "Mga Pangutana Nga Masami Naton Habati-an sa Daeanon". However one takes it, the gist of this entry is the culling of some of the funny bordering to irritating questions we raised up just to strike up a conversation with an acquaintance.

1.   Pa-Kalibo ka? You strike up a conversation with your fellow commuters riding a Kalibo bound jeepney by raising the obvious.
2.  Nanindahan ka? On my way out of the public market one Saturday morning, already burdened by the load of goods I just purchased, an acquaintance approached me with the question, “Nanindahan ka?” Automatically, which is equally stupid, out of the lips come the reply, “Huo.”
3.   ¼ ma’am? A teacher commanded her students to produce ¼ piece of paper for the day’s test. The students chorus the question, “1/4 ma’am?”
4.  Ha pa siin ing motor ay? Whenever the day starts with a downpour and progressed later into prolonged shower, a bike owner like me has only one option and that is to commute the locally available tricycle. While seated on the sidecar contemplating the rain, I always got asked by the driver and the other commuters, “Ha pa siin ing motor ay?” Hey dude, if you were me, would you brave the storm to drive to your office in your motocycle?
5.  Pa-Boracay ra? You approached to inquire a barker of a terminal calling passengers to inform that a van heading for Boracay is about to leave. On the backdrop, you can also read in bold capital letters that words, “L300 Van Terminal for Boracay”. And yet you ask him, Pa-Boracay ra? for you always hear the eager response, “Huo, pa-Boracay ra”. 

Akeanons are friendly by nature. They won't hesitate breaking the ice even to the extent of appearing or sounding the fool. Raising the obvious is their way of reaching out to a stranger or an acquaintance