einfanticide,butasthemeetion,theversationsswungaroundtoreturningtoschoolandmyunstartedsymphony.

    "Youknowwhatyourproblemis?"Tessasked."Nodiscipline.Youwanttobeagreatposer,butyouneverwriteasong.Henry,trueartislessaboutallthewanting-to-bebullshit,andmoreaboutpractice.Justplaythemusic,baby."

    Ifiddledwiththeporcelainearofmycoffeecup.

    "Itstimetogetstarted,Chopin,ortostopkiddingyourselfandgrowup.Getoutfrombehindthebarandebacktoschoolwithme."

    Iattemptednottoletmyfrustrationamentshow,butshehadmeculledlikealameanimalfromthemainherd.Shepounced.

    "Iknowallaboutyou.YourmotherisveryinsightfulabouttherealHenryDay."

    "Youtalkedtomymotheraboutme?"

    "Shesaidyouwentfrombeingacarefreelittleboytoaseriousoldmanht.Sweetheart,youostoplivinginyourheadandliveintheworldasitis."

    Iliftedmyselfoutofmychairandleanedacrossthetabletokissher."Now,tellmeyourtheoryonwhyparentskilltheirchildren."

    Weworkedforweeksonherproject,meetinginthelibraryorcarryingonaboutthesubjectentoutdangortothemoviesordinner.Morethanonce,wedrewastartledstarefromnearbystrangerswhenwearguedaboutkillingchildreookcareofthehistoricalframeworkoftheproblemanddelvedintotheavailablestatistics.Itriedtohelpbydiggingupaplausibletheory.Iainsocieties,boyswerefavoredirls,toworkonthefarmortopassoh,andasamatterofcourse,manyfemalesweremurderedbecausetheywereunwanted.Butinlesspatriarchalcultures,infanticidestemmedfromafamilysi