Like, as a child, my brother and I learned early that if my father asked you a question he meant for you to provide an answer or at the least seek to find the answer. An off the cuff response or the dreaded, "I don't know," would not suffice. He would only ask what he felt was within your purview of knowledge, so an answer was not as difficult as it may sound. For instance, "What did you learn at school today?" "Nothing or I don't know" meant you were given homework at his behest, a lecture or if he was drinking, the belt.
So, the other day when I asked a co-worker a question, that was within their realm of knowledge and the response was, "I don't know." My response was, "Where I come from" I don't know" was an A_ _ whipping!" It crossed my tongue before I could catch it and I felt bad afterward, but the next time I asked a question later in the day, the answer was not known, but the effort was made to satisfy my inquisition.
My dad's relentless quest for knowledge and answers was grueling and bordered on cruel, or so I thought while I was a child, it didn't kill me, but for me and to my children, it made me a little CRAZY when an answer is what I seek.
What didn't kill you, but made you CRAZY!!!???
