playing catch-up, part 3.

Recounting all the past events that have happened in the last year and a half. In no particular order. Part 3: a quick story.

At the aquarium, there are three windows that show the developmental stages of jellyfish: the polyp stage, in which the "baby" jellies are like tiny little anemones attached to substrate (a rock, etc.); the ephyra stage, where the jellies break off into eighth-inch swimming mini-jellies; and finally, the medusa stage, which is the adult jelly stage that most people recognize. There are placards describing each stage next to each corresponding window.

On this particular day, there was a school group in the touch-a-jelly area. All the kids were touching the jellies, and one of the chaperones had stopped to look at the jellyfish life cycle placards. I watched her as she moved from window to window. She was probably in her late twenties or early thirties, and, presumably, at least partially responsible for the education of these children. When she came to the last placard, describing the medusa stage, she read aloud, with much hesitation and difficulty:

"This is is the final stage of the jelly's life... the me... med... medusa stage. In this... stage... the jellies can take up to two months to reach ma... mach... may-tyurrr..."

The next word was "maturity." She didn't know it. She gave up, turned around, and walked away. I was flabbergasted, amused, and deeply saddened at the same time.

More to come.