Image zoom Credit: Illustration by Valeria Petrone
When the kids were little, I craved an extra body in my lap like I craved another hole in my head or more applesauce in my hair. We didn t have a pet and didn t want one. We couldn t deal with anyone else demanding to be fed or entertained or not bathed; we didn t feel like fretting about another creature; and we didn t want to hear more noise coming out of anybody, even if it was just the happy chuffing of another well-loved animal. Our cups were full. Full to overflowing. To be honest, what we needed was not a fuller cup but a mop.