Dr. Jane Goodall with orphan chimpanzee Uruhara at the JGI Sweetwaters Sanctuary for orphan chimpanzees in Kenya. 2000

Plumster bargained herself some time at the school playground after I picked her up from school.  She happily ran off to dangle herself going back and forth on the monkey bars.  There were other kids dangling themselves all over the monkey bars too.  It was like a scene from that chimpanzee documentary, where Jane Goodall sat quietly watching her beloved chimps play.  Except these little creatures in front of me were human beings, and supposedly more civilized.

I stood there watching them play for about five minutes.  After that I looked around the playground searching for a place to sit.  Along the benches, there were parents sitting around waiting for their kids to finish playing; all of them reading and thumbing intently on their smart gadgets.

I was the only parent there watching my kid play.  If you were to stop by the playground at this precise moment, you might think, how nice, she is being present and mindful with her child.  In truth, it was because I had left my purse in the car, taking only my car key.  I did not bring my phone, which was in my purse.  I wish I had brought my purse, or just my phone.  And my car key.