The photo session started at 8:30, ended shortly before 3 and involved about 120 very active children. I was a bit tired by the end of it. I got home, downloaded the images and grabbed a bite to eat before I set off for the park. That’s when I made my mistake. I picked up the new children’s picture book that my wife brought home from the library and browsed through it as I ate.

The title of the book is Never Smile at a Monkey, and is apparently designed to make children paranoid about the world outside. It warns us against getting too close to platypuses, sting rays, bears, water buffalo, hippopotamuses,  monkeys and a host of other creatures which we are assured will kill us, and quickly, too (except the ones that will subject us to a lingering, excruciatingly painful demise). It made me feel I needed either to lock myself in the house for the rest of my life or start packing heat.

Then I realized that none of these dangerous creatures inhabited Forest Park, breathed a sigh of relief and hopped on my bicycle and rode to America’ best urban park to see what I could find. And here it is!