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And the Baboon Said, “Mind Your P’s and Q’s!”

June 26th, 2012

You should not laugh at someone else’s expense.  My mother taught me this, I’m sure.  But, just the same, when Uele climbed on Urusi’s back and was riding her like she was a bucking bronco—while, incidentally, trying to chew on her neck—I couldn’t help but giggle.  Urusi, freshly pregnant, a real woman now, putting on all sorts of airs, suddenly put in her place by the equivalent of a nine-year-old boy.  And the way Uele clung on for dear life while she tried to pull him off.  Priceless.  And they were so close, other little kids bounding about, wrestling, and me just sitting there on the ground, bored after watching Urusi eat leaves on and off for an hour.  So, yes, I laughed.  Yes, I stared at her and laughed and then looked at Hamimu and he laughed.  And it was all very funny.  And then USA reminded me that I was being rude.  Standing it the midst of the frolicking children, a child herself (though more of a teenager), USA took one look at me in my mirthful state and gave me a good hard slap on the arm.  Then she threw in an eyebrow threat for good measure, even casting a glance around her to see if anyone else thought I was being inappropriate and might like to smack me around a bit.  Humbled, I slowly stood and turned away—the tried and true baboon fake-out procedure (if you don’t look at them, you’re not really there).  But let’s be honest, I only looked away to hide my grin.

 

Luckily, though, USA has not held a grudge and politely greeted me with some friendly grunts when I joined the group this morning (and, no, it is not normal to greet other species with grunts, but, then, as we’ve discussed previously, USA is not normal).