The sophistry here reminds me of my then-5-year-old.
The room was awash with
toys, and I admonished my daughters that it was unacceptable. "I want you to
pick up all these toys you brought out and put them away now."
So imagine my
surprise when fifteen minutes I find all but three or four picked up, those
belonging to the 5 year old rules lawyer. "Did you not understand?" I
asked.
"But Daddy," she said. "You said to pick up all the toys I brought
out, and I didn't bring these out. My sister did."
Pause.
"Yes, dear,
but who's going to care more when I throw these in the garbage?"
She
knew what I meant and thought she was being clever. Just as he knew what the
judge meant and thought he was being clever. "Aha," thought he, "she did not
explicitly ask about additional incidents so I am free to be silent about them.
I win!" Not so much. [ Reply to This | Parent | # ]
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