Comma Confusion in Emails

Another email lands on my screen, its commas misplaced like a flock of startled pigeons. I stare at the sentence, wondering if the sender even knows that a comma can separate an introductory clause from the main clause, or if they just think a dash is a fashionable alternative. The frustration feels oddly familiar, like waves pushing against a shoreline then receding despite my attempts to keep them steady. I almost correct it, then pause—perhaps my correction would destroy the writer's subtle rhythm, or maybe it would bring the sentence the stability it lacks. Grumble, I guess. #copyediting 😠