In which two of my daughters debate the Oxford comma, sort of:
C. (age 7): "Dad, what's 'Sarah, Plain and Tall' about?"
Me: "It's about a girl named Sarah, who is apparently plain and tall."
C.: "How do you know that?"
Me: "From the title of the book."
C.: "What if it was about three people -- one named Sarah, one named Plain, and one named Tall?"
L. (age 9): "It's not. The title would have to have commas."
C.: "It does have a comma."
L.: "But it would need more for there to be three people."
C.: "No it wouldn't."
L.: "Yes. It would need a comma after 'Sarah,' and another after 'plain.'"
C.: "No it wouldn't. It just needs one comma to make three people."
L.: "[C.]! I'VE BEEN TO SCHOOL! I KNOW WHERE COMMAS GO!"
C.: "No, it--"
L.: "DAD, WILL YOU PLEASE TELL [C.] THAT I KNOW ALL ABOUT COMMAS? SHE THINKS I'M STUPID!"
