A Conversation About Babies

[poliphilo]

"Now there are real babies around," says Ailz. "I can see that my pets are simply baby substitutes."

"That's a woman thing," I say. "Women must have something in their brains that makes them respond to small helpless creatures. I know I don't have it."

"The need to have something totally dependent on you," she says.

"For me," I say, "babies are just potential human beings. I value them for what they're going to become. The sooner they're out of the drooling, up-chucking, helpless stage the better."

"I suspect the babies feel that way too," says Ailz.

Comments

[lblanchard.livejournal.com]

I have never cared much for babies, particularly after having one of my own.

My pets are definitely *not* child substitutes. Having just taken one to be put down on Monday and being more or less over it, I can say that with some confidence. Even *contemplating* the possibility of the death of my son, on the other hand, makes me want to reach for the sedatives.

I just like having other life forms around the house, although after vacuuming two canisters of cat hair out of my home office I think I might be able to make do with the backyard birds when our other pets pass into the Great Beyond.

[poliphilo.livejournal.com]

I like having other life forms around too.

But that's what they are- other life forms- unknowable and alien.

[lblanchard.livejournal.com]

Some of them are less alien than others. I swear our Mr. Darcy (German Shepherd) thinks more or less like a two-year-old.

[poliphilo.livejournal.com]

Dogs work very hard at being human.