In this episode, The Art of the Short-Circuit.
We spend a surprising amount of our lives on conversational autopilot. You see it everywhere. At the hardware store. At the post office. In office hallways, where two people can exchange greetings, discuss the weather, and continue on their way without either one actually hearing what the other said.
"Good. You?”
“Busy."
“Yep."
It's less of a conversation and more of a system check.
Most of us aren't being rude. We're just moving fast. We have emails to answer, meetings to attend, errands to run, and a hundred other things competing for our attention. Before long, our interactions become little more than verbal lane markers helping us navigate the day.
I like to break the script.
When I run into someone, instead of the usual greetings, I'll ask:
"What's the good word?”
The reaction is almost always worth it. You can practically see the gears stop turning. People pause. They blink. Their brains start searching for the approved response that somehow isn't there. It's as if an internal warning light starts flashing:
ERROR: UNEXPECTED INPUT DETECTED.
Some people stare at me for a second, trying to determine whether I've asked a serious question. Others take the opportunity to tell me exactly what's on their mind at that moment. And every now and then, someone throws it right back at me.
"I don't know. What is the good word?”
That's when I deploy the short-circuit. I look them straight in the eye and answer:
"Chicken Fried Steak.”
Not because it means anything. Not because it's profound. Simply because it's completely unexpected.
The reaction follows a familiar pattern. First comes confusion. Then curiosity.
Then the realization that there isn't a right answer.
And then they laugh. For a few seconds, the routine disappears. The mental checklist gets interrupted. Two people who were operating on autopilot suddenly become present in the moment.
That's the magic of breaking the script.
Lately, I've been expanding my collection. Around the office, with July right around the corner, I've started responding with:
"Gravity. It keeps us all grounded today.”
That one gets extra mileage because the electrical grounding symbol is part of the Cenergy logo. It's a little engineering humor hiding in plain sight.
For everyday use, though, I'm becoming a fan of:
"Peach Cobbler.”
It's impossible to hear "peach cobbler" and remain fully committed to whatever stress was occupying your mind five seconds earlier. Somehow, a random slice of dessert is enough to remind us that life doesn't have to be serious every minute of every day.
The funny thing is that none of this is really about chicken-fried steak, gravity, or peach cobbler.
It's about attention.
It's about interrupting the routine long enough to remind ourselves that there are actual human beings standing on the other side of these conversations. In a world that constantly pushes us toward efficiency, autopilot, and rushing to the next thing, a little unexpected humor can be surprisingly powerful.
So here's my challenge for you this week: Break the script.
The next time someone asks how you're doing, toss out something unexpected. A favorite food. A law of physics. A movie quote. A completely harmless non-sequitur that makes them stop and think for a second.
See what happens. Maybe you'll get a laugh.
Maybe you'll start a real conversation.
Maybe you'll simply give someone a brief break from the endless cycle of meetings, notifications, and to-do lists.
Either way, you'll have made the day a little more interesting.
And that's something we could all use more of.
So the next time we cross paths, don't tell me you're busy.
Tell me the good word.
I'll be listening.
I’m Patrick Ball. Stay curious, ask questions, and explore the “Art.”
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