Fear of the third "what"

Have you ever thought about how many wars, fights, misunderstandings or tragedies could have been avoided if we weren´t afraid of the third what?

And usually is not the recipient´s fault, some people just speak in very low voice, and when you use your first what, they repeat the sentence in the same very low voice, not giving you other chance than burn your second what, but then they repeat it again in low voice and the misunderstandings appear.

If you have confident with the speaker you can yell at him or make a joke so he starts talking higher, but when you don´t have any confident with the speaker at all, you are afraid to death to say "what?" for the third time in a row, some people is even afraid of the second what, but they are pussies.

This is happening today, in your neighbourhood, in your town, right now:

Gentleman: (in low voice) ... and then you have to press the red button so it won´t explote and none of us will die in case of a nuclear fission

Coward: (did not understand) Excuse me... What was that again?

Gentleman: (same low voice) Yeah, I was saying that you have to press the red button so the power station won´t explote and none of us will get killed in case of a nuclear fission

Coward: (did not understand again) What?

Gentleman: (with a tiny higher voice) In case of an emergency refired to a fission always press the red button because if you don´t do it everybody of us will die


Coward: (did not understand yet) Ah... of course, of course, got it...

Consecuence of the cowardice: Everybody will die


I know what you are thinking, and yes, of course everybody knows perfectly that in case of a nuclear fission you always have to press the red button, It just was a metaphor. (Well, I don´t know exactly what a fission is, but it sounds bad doesn´t it?)

My advice is simple, if you have to ask more than two times do it, you are not alone, the third "what" is there to be used, it is there for you, don´t be afraid, don´t let us die.