The B is Silent?

The GirlChild here. Today I learned it's T-H-U-M-B not T-H-U-M. Thumb, it's one of my spelling words this week. I asked OurDad, "What's this word, thumb?" I said pronouncing the B. Hey how was I to know?

"It's just thumb, like in Tom Thumb" he said giving me a wiggling thumbs up.

"Tom Thumb, who's that?"

"Tom Thumb. He's a guy no bigger than your thumb. It's a classic. In fact it's a fairy story, you'll love it." Oh no, here we go again. All I wanted to know is what's with this letter B in the word thum, but I get yet another trip to Literary Land. OurDad has a PhD in microbiology, and you think he be able to sort out a second grader's spelling list, but no OurDad has to be a literary wannabe too.

"I don't care about Tom Thumb. Why is there a B in this word!," I shouted pointing to the letters T-H-U-M-B on my spelling list.

"Oh, well it's silent," OurDad tells me.

There's silent B's too? I was so depressed. What other silent letters am I in for in the coming years? "Why," I asked, "why is the B silent?"

"It just is." What kind of conformist garbage is that? 'It just is.'

"Well if it's silent, why does it have to be at the end? Couldn't it be B-T-H-U-M, or T-H-B-U-M, or T-H-U-B-M? It couldn't be T-B-H-U-M; that wouldn't make the TH sound."

"It just can. Now just spell them like they are on the list, Ok."

Then I asked him when Great Mom would be home, and he shook his head and started reading his book again. What good is that PhD if he can't even explain my spelling words?

That's our Dad.