Curious George Goes To Law School

Further evidence that my brain is being warped, nay addled, nay MOLDED into thinking like a lawyer.

It was my turn to do the bedtime routine tonight with the girl. As usual, we read a story, and tonight's selection was Curious George and the Dump Truck. During storytime, my brain began to fire away at the legal ramifications of George's actions, and after I tucked the girl in, I absconded with the book and immediately signed in to GChat to confer with my colleagues. NB: I am "me" and my friend Kate is "Kate". Sooz makes a cameo appearance.

Sooz has joined
Kate has joined
me: i have a question for you both
Kate: hurry - I have to study!
:)
me: it has to do with school!
is curious george committing a tortious act if he climbs into the cab of the unattended dump truck and spills the load of dirt into the pond in the park?
who's liable?
Kate: yes?
me:can we hold george as well as the city gardeners jointly and severally liable for the damage inflicted on the pond?
Kate: can we hold a monkey liable?
doubt it
Sooz:watching the biggest loser!
Kate: therefore, the city gardeners are fully liable
me: or do we have to bow to respondeat superior and sue whoever the contractor is who employs the gardeners
Kate: we can probably sue both the gardeners and their contract
me: and if they are employed by the city and it's city land
Kate: plus the city because they have big pockets
me: the city can't sue itself right?
Kate: oh, the city is suing?
Don't know why they'd want to sue themselves
No, the city would sue the contractors and the gardeners
George is safe, since he's a monkey
me: or could they hold the gardeners personally liable because they left the truck unsecured and unatended
Kate: they'd probably try for them all
me: yes, but he's a good little monkey and always very curious!
Kate: but he's still a monkey
me: ok
Kate: therefore beyond the arms of the tortfesors
me: so could they go after The Man In The Yellow Hat?
Kate: probably
me: as George's guardian?
Kate: because he should have been watching George better
But wait
People sue little kids and not their parents so I don't know
me: george escaped from the house and followed a row of ducklings to the park
hmmm
maybe i should bring this up in torts...professor r might get a kick out of it
Kate: But since he's a monkey and they can't sue him, I think they could sue the Man in the Yellow Hat
you should bring it up!!
Say you read a story this week
me: and this is what law school is doing to me - i can't read my daughter a bedtime story without thinking about a possible tort!
Kate: and wanted to know who could get sued!
Hahaha
me:it was her bedtime story tonight
geeeez
Kate: figured as much
me: ok - as you were
Kate: OK, time to start Ks
me: i can just see it: Girl, Mommy has to take Curious George to law school today.
Kate:She's prolly get a kick out of it
me: ok

True story.