[Tommy]

I was at a family reunion yesterday and found myself at a table with five sisters from seven to twenty years of age. The chatter was loud and continuous as I sat and observed. I noticed several of the older sisters issuing orders to the others (e.g., "Get me a drink", "Bring me a napkin", "Get me a piece of pie"). At one point I followed one of their commands with a question. "Do you know what you are doing?" They paused to look at me with the disdain they reserve for older people who ask stupid questions. "You're practicing to be women," I said. The oldest one, who has gone through several boyfriends already, grinned and said, "You're right. Girls always order their boyfriends around."

They probably thought I was joking. I wasn't.