The People's Court

Marcy over at The Glamorous Life posted a career test that revealed that she and I both missed our calling to the law.

To practice our skills, in preparation for opening our firm of Glamor, Lit and Laundry, I would like to pose the following completely hypothetical case to you for your opinion.


Let's say mom A makes a delicious pot of homemade soup, but has to run out the door. So she instructs mature pre-teen child B to watch, and occasionally stir the soup, while she takes child C to gymnastics. Mom A leaves the soup simmering on the lowest heat setting.

While driving down the hill moments later, mom A waves to Dad D as he drives up the hill home from work. She drops child C at gymnastics, picks up child E, who has just finished gymnastics, and returns home to find child B and Dad D merrily eating soup. She scoops some out for child E and herself, pries the book "Twilight" out of Child B's hands at the dinner table, and sits down to enjoy her meal.

After dinner, Mom A assists Child E with homework while Dad D clears the dishes, puts them in the dishwasher, and turns off the hood fan to the stove.

Hours pass. Child C is picked up from gymnastics, assisted with homework, and goes into the kitchen to help himself to a snack.

All children are finally sent to bed with dreams of lovely soup. Dad D disappears to his computer and Mom A puts her feet up and embroiders. For hours. Until the urge strikes her to get a glass of water. At which point she enters the kitchen

And discovers the soup is no longer simmering. It has become a hardened mass on the bottom of the pot because the burner was left on and is still on.

Who is guilty? Purely hypothetically, of course.