One of the reasons we wanted to have a second kid was that so Joe would cultivate independence, know that the world does not revolve around him, not that it’s impossible to teach this to an only kid but certainly harder. CUT TO ME SOBBING, WATCHING JOE PLAY BY HIMSELF QUIETLY IN THE NEXT ROOM, as we had hoped he would, because now that he’s not the only one, I worry he feels less cared for. But of course, he’s fine. He’s always (usually) fine. Are you available, Mom? He learned this language at school, or from a colleague? Or from us? Are you available, Dad? Not right now, friend. Feeding your sister, give us five minutes, a woman on the internet told us to say. He heads back to Car City to wait, a world he built himself, where he’s King.