ME: This was written on a message board:
My 19 year-old daughter is about to go out for the evening. Wearing a hanky for a skirt, crimson lipstick and enough eye shadow to black out the moon, she asked me how she looked. My answer---"like a cartoon hooker"---has not gone down well. What does a father do? Two minutes ago, this kid was leaving out carrots for Rudolph. Forgive me while I gently sob.
Why does he sob?
AI: The writer is sobbing because they are feeling overwhelmed by the changes in their daughter and the difficulty in adjusting to the idea of her growing up and making her own decisions. The contrast between their daughter's current appearance, with the hanky skirt and bold makeup, and her past, where she used to leave out carrots for Rudolph, highlights this change and may be causing the writer to feel nostalgic and emotional.
ME: What might be a humorous response?
AI: "Looks like she's ready to hit the town and find the real Santa Claus!"
