As the self-appointed Margaret Mead of the playground set for the last decade, one of my true delights is listening to the conversation. Yesterday I beheld one of the most confusing, yet common, patterns seen in the late 30 something toddler mom, the not-so-subtle dig.
“I think I know you from [blah blah hiking trail].”
“Oh yeah I’ve seen you there!”
“Yeah! I always wondered why you didn’t do longer, but of course you never bring water for your dogs.”
“Oh haha [embarrassed joke].”
“So dogs and little kids, do you just love chaos or something?”
“[mumble mumble.]”
Truly mind-boggling why this person would go underhandedly nuclear on someone she doesn’t know that well. Where I grew up they would describe this as “cruisin’ for a brusin’” but here the observed reaction seems to be a type of humble retreat.
The anthropologist struggled to stay silent.
Dr. Ruth's Daughter 
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