"Mommy!?"

"Yes My Sweet?"

"Mommy, those shaggy people, don't they have soap? They pong!"

"But Johnny, they are Hunters! Did you not see their splendid thick spears, and those heavy stone clubs?  And Hunters cannot use soap, because animals don't like that smell and run a mile!"  And with an amused look in my direction:  "Strangely for us that has all changed. I mean take Sandalwood scent for instance. That is used to attract prey!!"

And I thought that dash of Sandalwood in the morning was just to soothe the skin.

Before I can put in a word or two about Tender Prada, little Johnny goes direct: "Mommy, you do perfume everyday, everybody does, even the men, and especially the big boys in class 9 and 10.  Are you all hunting?"

Ouch.  I am really looking forward to Mommy's reply.

She takes a bit of time uncrossing her legs and then straightens and tucks in her crisp white blouse, which does pleasant things for the general ambiance: "Look Johnny", with a sideways glance in my direction, "it is a fact that for a hundred thousand years our forebears have been hunters and foragers.  And even the foraging was a form of hunting, looking for edibles in hope and succeeding with a thrill of achievement. And farming? Well, when farming eventually came along, they say it was the underprivileged, who for some reason could not hunt nor gather, who did not have a choice, who became farmers. So yes, we are mostly all hunting, in one way or another, because that is us."   And not looking at me: "Maybe even with some nice after-shave".

Right then I cannot think of a single appropriate thing to say, more so when I notice a faint flush appearing on her composed school mistress features, more than likely mirrored by my own appearance.

Little Johnny is frowning, looking out at the fields of tall maize endlessly passing by our carriage window: " So that must be why big machines do the farming and everybody lives in a city.  Because hunting is better in the city.  When I'm big, I will try out this Sandalwood. You seem to quite like it, Mommy. But Mommy, what is there to hunt in a city? "