Apple Falling Not Far from Tree

Here's a recent email exchange between me and my niece. She's eleven.

Miss M ...

Are there cicadas in London England? And how are your cats doing and you of course?

Me ...

No cicadas here, although there are annoying workmen and young boys outside my window making all kinds of noise. I reckon they'll go away faster than your chirping cicadas will.

The cats are fine ... they're lazy and only very friendly when they're hungry. Sort of like Uncle Larry.

oxooxox

Uncle Bobby

Miss M ...

I'll trade you the work men for the cicadas.

I'm really not sure who she takes after more — her mother or her uncle. Either way, she's in awfully good company.

Normally, I'd just laugh this off, but having recently finished Lolita (1 down, 6 to go) ... naaaah, let's not go there. After all, she does have a valid non-nymphet point. Work men go home at the end of the day (if you kick them out), but cicadas just keep on making noise. Sort of like Fox News.