By Ken Lass
What is the scientific formula for salt? How many zeroes are in one quadrillion? Who sang “Dead Skunk in the Middle of the Road”? Who won the Best Actor Academy Award for “Patton”? Who was Harry Truman’s vice-president?
Chances are you can answer at least one or two of these random questions. Maybe all of them. Isn’t it amazing what that curious brain of yours can come up with when you put it to the test?
I’ve always been a big fan of trivia games and trivia TV shows, and the holy grail of trivia shows is Jeopardy. I’ve watched it since I was a kid. I never cease to marvel at how those contestants come up with the answers (in the form of a question of course) to the most obscure bits of minutia. During an entire thirty minute program, I consider myself a budding genius if I guess the right answer maybe two or three times.
But on December 20th Sharon and I were particularly excited about watching the show. Trussville’s own Jake Garrett was a contestant, having been invited back on for a second time. The Hewitt Husky football coach and teacher made a great run, but lost out to a woman who pulled away after sweeping a category about opera. Don’t feel bad Jake. The only opera I’ve ever been to is Phantom of the Opera. (Side note: It was many years later I was told this was not really an opera but a play about opera. Personally, I think it should still count as an opera.)
What intrigues me even more about Jeopardy is that someone, more likely an entire staff, has to come up with all of these trivia categories and questions. Now there’s a job that requires a real nerd of a human being, with basically no life, who has nothing better to do than pore through tedious and dreary reference books and web sites.
Since that perfectly describes me, I was inspired to come up with my own Jeopardy category and questions. I tailored the category to my fellow residents of Trussville and the northeast Birmingham area. Try these out on your family and friends. If they get all of them right, they are no doubt ready for the TV show. Although you might want to bone up on your opera.
Trussville Life for $200: It often divides our neighborhoods and unites them at the same time.
Answer: What is a stopped train?
Trussville Life for $400: It usually brings the loudest cheer at the sports park.
Answer: What is a parking space?
Trussville Life for $600: Everybody looks forward to it, but it only occurs about every ten years.
Answer: What is a new stoplight on Highway Eleven?
Trussville Life for $800: Drive carefully because one may unexpectedly show up on the street.
Answer: What are turn signals?
Trussville Life for $1,000: If you’re down low, there’s always a place for you here.
Answer: What are the gas pumps at Buc-ees?
And that brings us to Final Jeopardy. The category is the Trussville Tribune. And the clue is: It takes up way too much space and time for no good reason.
Answer: What is this column?