Frazz by Jef Mallett for September 21, 2022

A better question to ask is, “Where do you last remember having it?”

She said it badly, but that’s exactly how I find things I “may have put down somewhere”. Except it usually works better to work from earlier toward later places: My memory seems to be better at remembering “what happened next” than “what happened just before”.

Why shouldn’t I answer a question with a question?

Betcha it’s the last place you look!

Nothing wrong with her question. It would be the logical place to look for a lost article. She’s just directing his attention from complaining to thinking.

Seems like the answer produces more questions.

Actually, she asked a valid question, tho’ with Caulfield, she should have phrased it better. “Where were you the last time you remember having your notebook?” It’s called “back-tracking” & for her, it’s also called trying to circumvent a smart-mouthed reply.

The question can trigger one’s memory. Like when someone was going to tell you something and they forget, if you ask “what was it about?”, they’ll often remember. Even if they say “if I knew that I’d tell you” first.It’s like the question causes thought through a different set of neurons.

He is assuming the answer to her question is where the notebook is. The point of her question was to make him recall his movements and think about the possible locations.

So where did you last have it?

I’m thinking Mrs. Formaldehyde has hid it.

There may be no stupid questions, but there are a lot of inquisitive idiots.

But, “Where do you last remember having it,” can be helpful as you can retrace your steps from there.

Anyone who thinks there are no stupid questions has never taught middle-schoolers or college freshmen……..

Of course there are stupid questions because there are so many stupid questioners.

That’s actually not a stupid question. It helps you work back to where you last saw it.

That was not a stupid question; adding an outside voice to the internal conversation stimulates other places in memory.

Frazz didn’t know the question so his comment is okay.

Top Secret Papers? What Top Secret papers??

The only stupid question is the one that isn’t asked. Wise guy Frazz should know that.

Not an entirely helpful question. After all, someone else could have moved it after he last saw it.