The Columnist Manifesto

You’re all probably familiar with the College Lit 101 insight, which is probably true, that there are “only X number of stories,” and that these are recycled throughout the history of literature. But “X” equals just how many stories?

Today, I heard this dialogue on the subway:

YOUNGER WOMAN: You know what they say, there are only, what, seven stories or something?
OLDER RUSSIAN LADY: 100.
YOUNGER WOMAN: What?
OLDER RUSSIAN LADY: (authoritatively) There are 100 stories.

There's your answer. QED.