ZACK, THE LIMA BEAN

Kids dissected lima beans today. Who knew that could even be done? But there they were, cutting them from head to tail. (Again, I say, who knew?) And then once open, they were to identify the embryo. (I know! No idea here either.) Evidently, the tip of the embryo is called a "radical" (aka, the baby root). Which, I have to say, just made my whole day being the non-conventional type ourselves. (And no, never knew it existed, let alone had a name.) So, I told them how cool I thought it was that their little baby roots were little revolutionaries and activists from birth, and how they reminded me so much of them, especially in that early sonogram pic. And then Chago said, "Mama, this is Zack," gently cradling the tiny embryo to the left. "And he's my baby. And I'm going to take him home and love him and raise him to be big and strong, just like you did with us." And, yes, I know he's playing me, but I melted just the same.