In the midst of research for a science report on prairie dogs, Charlie tracks me down in the upstairs regions of the house to relay an amazing fact: prairie dogs have sex!

Cassie: Really?! Are you on Wikkipedia, right now? Are you writing that in your report?

Charlie: Yes, Mom. It’s a fact. They taste the mouths of other prairie dogs with their tongues to see whether a prairie dog is from their community. If it is, the prairie dogs keep kissing or they go off to play. If not, they have a fight until one of them runs away.

Cassie: (Mentally preparing to offer a lead-in to “The Talk.” There have been other attempts to begin this conversation in the past, but Charlie’s given clear signals that he’s not interested or ready for the complete lesson just yet.) You know, Charlie. The kissing that the prairie dogs do is a mating ritual….

Charlie: I know, I know. Yuck! It’s so disgusting. Thank God humans don’t do that.

Sex talk aborted once again.