Monday, February 19, 2007

Act 4, Scene 3: “The Cycle of Life”


TRL and S take the boys to the Children’s Museum. And in the first room, you get to learn about animals. Cats and dogs, mainly. There are benches and cages and stuffed animals and tweezers and stethoscopes and animal adoption pages and little white coats with VET stitched over the front pocket in natty blue.

C puts on the white coat and proceeds to diligently fill out an animal adoption form, making random marks and circles where he sees fit. He then gets down to the serious business of stuffing a plush doggy into a cage better suited for a mouse. TRL sits on one of the benches, swinging his legs, and starts talking with the husband of a friend of S’s. The husband has the couple’s gurgling 5-month-old daughter bound to his chest.

“He really is going at it,” the man remarks as C leans into the puppy to get its head into the cage.

“Are you a doctor?” TRL calls to C.

“ No. A doctor for animules,” says C. “A vetnarian.”

“Excellent,” says TRL.

“They really have quite a set up,” says New Dad, taking in the real cat X-rays and play cages, the white coats and long tweezers.

“They should have the kids learn to put down the animals, too,” says TRL.

New Dad looks puzzled.

“Really teach them the cycle of life,” adds TRL helpfully.

New Dad smiles and nods. And wraps his arms protectively across his daughter. He starts backing away.

TRL continues to swing his feet, happy to be sitting down, happy that C is engaged in an activity which is safe, will keep him within sight of TRL, and will likely last for at least ten minutes. For TRL is finally beginning to understand the cycle of life himself. That he is a salmon who has reproduced, and is now swimming upstream, to die. When he can find a cool relaxing place from which to perch, like now, he is happy.

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