Do you dislike Children? I ask, entertained at the little one’s cleverness in dodging capture attempts.t“I don’t dislike them, nor do I like them. I’ve never understood why one must love children simply because they are children. I don’t love people because they are people; in fact, I rarely like any people at all. If a child is somehow deserving of admiration, I certainly won’t deny it, but why hand it out like candy on Queen’s Day?” tI laugh, surprising him.t“Do you think me terribly cruel, then?”t“Actually, I agree. It is another great fault of mine my mother endeavored to correct. Children in general I’ve never cared for, though individual children I love very much.
