| Riddle | |
May 24, 2016
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| In this aging society, citizens' biggest concern was to avoid senile dementia. The government thought that making people use their brains more was the most efficient and cheapest way to prevent it. They encouraged TV quiz shows and other businesses. Some businesses became extreme and created really interesting shows and products; after which, many funny things occurred. He, in his mid-fifties, was walking in the downtown area. It was noontime and he entered a restaurant. A waitress came and handed him a menu. He soon realized the notice on the menu that read, 'If you try riddles, we can give you a discount! Ask the waitress for more details.' So he asked. The waitress started to explain: They provided riddles and if the customer could answer it correctly, they would discount the price by 10 percent for each riddle answered. However, if the customer answered the riddle wrong, the price would become higher by 10 percent for each incorrect answer. He was curious. He said he had been good at riddles since he was a child. He asked if he answered 10 riddles correctly 10 times in a row, the price would become free. She said yes. He ordered the most expensive food. The waiter went back with the food order, and returned with a tablet computer. She
She clicked a couple buttons on the computer, then read, "What has hands but cannot clap?" The man laughed. "It's a piece of cake. Even an infant can reply. 'A pig.'" She almost laughed, but managed to stop herself. Looking at her face, he said, "Wait. It's a cow. No, no. It's a chicken. Final answer, 'chicken'." She coldly announced, "It's 'a clock'." The man got angry, "Have you ever seen a chicken clapping?" He wasn't satisfied with the answer at all, but urged her for the next question. She said, "I don't think you should continue. You already have to pay an extra 20 percent. You don't have sense for riddles." He was furious, "What? If you give me more decent questions, I can answer them well. Call the manager!" The waitress went to the back and returned with the manager. The manager said, "I'm sorry sir. You might not have been accustomed with the system. This time we won't ask you to pay anything extra." The guy became more furious, "I didn't say anything about money. If you don't give me another riddle, I'll do this restaurant something funny, like a riddle." The manager was upset and ordered the waitress to continue. She nervously started to check the tablet. Soon the next riddle appeared on the screen, it was, 'What comes down but never goes up?' Before she read the question out loud, she secretly checked the answer. It was 'rain'. She said in her mind, "No, no. In this case he will say 'it's an apple from a tree', or 'the economy of this country'. How can we decline these answers?" So, she skipped this riddle, and the next riddle appeared, 'What travels around the world but stays in one spot?' Again, she secretly checked the answer. It was 'a stamp'. She thought, "No, no, no, no! He would certainly answer 'it's the door of a plane'. Or 'a travel book on the shelf'! How can we decline these answers?" The man became irritated and shouted at her, "What are you doing! I'm starving to death!" The waitresser started to sob. Looking at her in tears, the man said to the manager, "When I was a child, I was called 'Little riddle king'. I'll give you a riddle instead, and if you can't answer, you should give me a free dish." The manager agreed. The man thought a while and said, "What is the most eco-friendly sport?" The manager thought deeply and replied in a small voice, "Swimming in the sea? In that case, it wouldn't damage the environment, I suppose." The man said, "No! It's re-cycling!" This time the manager complained, "Re-cycling is not cycling! This is an incomplete riddle and answer." The waitress, now recovering, nodded. The man said, "I think this is a good question but if you insist, I'll give you another one, 'Why do women tend to get along with each other better than men?" The manager thought deeply but this time he had no idea. After a while he gave up. The man announced triumphantly, "Because women make-up!" The manager shouted, "Nonsense! My wife recently doesn't wear make-up, although her face needs make-up! I've been getting along with my friends better than my wife and her friends! Nonsense!" The waitress now completely recovered and said, "In these days some young men also wear make-up. Nonsense!" The man was overwhelmed by them at first, but now started to think of another riddle. This was exactly what the government wished: Arguments, debates, whatever. Discussions between people would make people's brain more active, as well as, making up new riddles. |
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*riddle :なぞなぞ
*aging :高齢化
*senile dementia :認知症
*kennel :犬小屋
*manage to :なんとか〜する
*certainly :きっと
*triumphantly :勝ち誇ったように
*overwhelm :圧倒する