How many asks?

Arnold Zwicky discussed the (surprisingly?) long history of the noun "ask" last July at Language Log. (Long story short: a venerable English word replaced by the French import "request", but still around in specialized uses [cards, finance, fund-raising] and reappearing in sports and computers, and making a resurgent comeback into more general use.) He talks about "my ask" and "a big ask", and the commenters chime in (particularly the Aussies, for whom this word is routine).

One of his commenters said

I remember one day 25 years ago in India I was trying to ask other travelers in the train station for some information, and one of them finally suggested that I "go to the information window and have an ask".

That seems to be closer to Earl's use.