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Before I get to the main point, which happened to me a few days ago, I have to start with some other real life examples.
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Manager: "CK, I know you don't like to travel, but there's a US trip coming up."
Me: "Oh? What's the purpose and when?"
Manager: "For product name and after Raya."
Me: "Okay, after Raya is okay. I can't do Raya holiday as I have a wedding to attend."
Manager: "Okay, we will go through this closer to the travel date."
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Colleague: "Can we discuss the next step for product name?"
Me: "Sure, but it's already late today, let's do it after lunch tomorrow."
Colleague: "Okay."
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Me: "When are we going to Tesco for our grocery?"
Wifey: "After kids' wushu practice."
Me: "Okay."
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Three different conversations involving question of time, all perfectly comprehended for the parties involved.
I hope you also understand, because honestly, I don't see what's not clear in those conversations, or how someone could not understand it.
Now the main story...
So hor, a few days ago I was asked again by a friend about when I could go watch Avengers: Endgame because he was itching to discuss and he knew my wrath about spoilers. =P
Of course he could have just discussed it in his many WhatsApp groups that I am not a part of but I am sure he has his reason...
Anyway, so he asked, again: "So CK when can you watch?"
And I answered, again, since I already answered the same question before: "Karen said after kids' exam."
Yea, I don't make the call, wifey makes the call and she said after kids' exam and that's that.
Then, the friend said: "I know you said after kids' exam but my question is when la, you don't understand my question also."
...
You asked when, I told you when, what's the misunderstanding?
Guess I really don't understand what I don't understand.
Or, it's just him.
Other |temperamental thoughts| category entries.
2 comments:
For the first three questions, there is already a known time for the parties involved. After Raya means after 6/6, after lunch means after 1pm and after kids wushu means after 1pm.
But hor your friend doesn't know when is the exam, so not all parties involved in the conversation know the "when", hence your answer is not answering his question.
You assumed everyone involves know the date/time, which may or may not be true. You also assumed the friend doesn't know when exam is, which may or may not be true.
"After lunch" is a generic answer for a period of time, depends on when one's lunch hour is, for example, my lunch hour is very different to your lunch hour. To me, "after Raya" is a vague time period in the future as well.
Anyway, regardless of whether the date/time is known or not, those answers provided a reference point in date/time, and to me, that answered the "when".
If I wanted specific, for example if I don't know the date or time, I would make myself clear and ask a more specific question, instead of going offensive.
Just because my answer isn't what he was looking for or expected doesn't mean I don't understand the question. Phrase the question properly if looking for a specific answer.
Thanks for your everlasting support.
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