My younger daughter is sixteen today.
Sixteen years ago, the day started in very civilized fashion. She was scheduled to be induced. My wife drove to the hospital as I read a Wall Street Journal editorial criticizing Paul Tsongas for calling Bill Clinton a “pander bear” in the days before the Florida primary. (And people say that the level of political discourse has declined!) The drugs took effect slowly at first. But then all vestiges of civilization disappeared. Melanie was born at 1:06pm after about an hour of what the attending staff called the most savage labor they had ever seen.
And that was the last time she ever gave her parents any trouble.
