There’s someone I work with who always starts with “quick question,” and I don’t think it has ever once been quick. It always feels harmless at first. They’ll say it casually, like this is going to take thirty seconds and then we’ll both move on with our lives.
Then there’s this pause. And then they take a deep breath. That’s the moment I know I’ve made a mistake.
Because what comes next is never a question. It turns into a full explanation of something that happened earlier, involving people I don’t work with, decisions I wasn’t part of, and details that may or may not matter. I try to follow it, but it just keeps expanding. They’ll say “so basically,” and I think we’re finally getting to the point, but it somehow gets more complicated instead.
At some point I realize I don’t actually know what the question is anymore, but I also feel like I’m too far in to ask. So I just keep nodding and saying things like “yeah” and “right” so it seems like I understand what’s happening.
Eventually they stop and say, “So yeah, just wanted your thoughts.” And I panic a little because I have no idea what I’m supposed to be responding to.
So I say something vague like, “Yeah, that makes sense,” and hope that was the correct response. They always seem satisfied, which is confusing because nothing actually got resolved.
This has happened enough times now that I’ve started bracing myself whenever they say “quick question.” I don’t think there has ever actually been a question.
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