The Adulthood of Children

The Adulthood of Children The adulthood of children‚“Kevin, your shoe‚s untied.‚”His sister, Jane, sits on the doorstep, grinning. An old Japanese Maple stands beside her, its bare arms outstretched towards the empty sky as if pleading for better times. Above, magpies silently circle overhead, framed by a blanket of blue. He limps forward towards the door, a muffled crackling emanating from his feet as a mass of red and brown foliage is pounded underfoot.‚“I‚m not kidding, Kevin, your laces are undone. You‚re going to trip‚”, Jane insists, her 7-year-old voice causing him to wince in annoyance. Her attempted jests irritate him; he is too old for this nonsense.As he attempts to move past the doorstep, his right foot unexpectedly clings to the pavement, as if on wet concrete. Surprised, he staggers, yet manages to jerk his foot upwards and moves as if to continue walking.‚“You‚d better look down,‚” Jane taunts in her singsong voice, her unnatural g rin fixed at maximum width across her face.Species: Acer palmatum Family: Aceraceae Image No....