The Question Game
The question game is an integral part of halfling culture (you don't need to know what a halfling is to understand this node, but you can always get more info at the halfling node if you wish).
The question game starts with asking someone a single question. They then reply with a related question (that must sound natural). The object is to make the conversation get as wildly off topic as possible (but just a little bit at a time). This keeps going until someone gives up (or cannot reply within 10 seconds).
Some halflings take any question as an invitation to play the question game (thus infuriating friends and strangers alike). In general it is always safest to give halflings friendly orders as opposed to questions. Instead of asking, "Where is the butcher?", you should say' "Tell me where the butcher is." This slight change in wording can avoid an unwanted round of the question game altogether.
An example of the question game
To properly appreciate the absurdity of the game, you should pick your two favorite Monty Python members to be the two halflings in question.
Burrin: Could I have a slice of your
toast?
Paddy: Why are you so interested in my
breakfast?
Burrin: Could you forget that and just pass me the
jam?
Burrin: We have more
butter, why don't you use that instead?
Paddy: How come we never seem to run out of butter?
Burrin: If there is so much bloody butter everywhere, then why does the
dairyman still charge so much for it?
Paddy: What was the dairyman's
daughter's name anyway, I can't seem to recall?
Burrin: Now why in the world would you want to know that, you've got a
thing for her, haven't you?
This will go on and on until someone gives up. Or it is time to part company, true masters of the game will even make their goodbye a question. "Farewell, could you pop by the store and get me a candle later on?"
Of course the question game need not be limited to halflings. Anyone can play this game (although I don't know why they would want to).