Beyond Dinki Di

If only common sense could rule.

Maybe it will in the case of Jennifer Bell, whose mother found her biological father via an internet dating site — this after the child was born. He was an anonymous sperm donor when she was married to her now ex- and while they didn't move from online chatting to an offline sexual partnership they did discover a child in common. Something they're apparently both "dinki-di" (in Aussiespeak) about.

But when common sense says shut up you're only making things worse some refuse to listen.

Such as the Florida father who wants at least $7 million for the shooting death of his biological son. The man who a court ruled is the father — he is on the birth certificate and was the only father known by the dead 16-year-old and his twin — agreed to take $1 million from the city of Delray, Fla., following a rookie police officer shooting the child in the head as he drove away. (He was, it probably should be mentioned, driving away in an open hallway during a school dance.)

And sometimes there are cases where common sense just isn't enough to avoid an innocent child from feeling wronged.

As in the case of the Cuban father who wants his 5-year-old daughter back (she has been with a Florida foster family for about 18 months) although he didn't seem to put up much protest when she left with her mother for the States. The mom lost custody following a suicide attempt.

So where does that leave common sense as a guiding principle?

** When a dad has his day it's always beyond dinki di. **