We boys are to be left alone while the lynchpin of our home operation conducts child labor research in island-nation Philippines for the next seven days.

The irony’s not lost on me.

How long ’til we descend into savagery?

Not to worry. Rather than cranking the inevitable conflagrant sounds we so admire, we’ll tuck ourselves into bed early and read gentle books. I think Kate DiCamilo will soothe us where William Golding would light fires.

Even Roshen Dalal, who recounts the many battles throughout India’s early empires, offers a steady narrative voice to guide our rocky times.

Godspeed traveler! The children of the Philippines need you more than we do, and for the next week we’ll hold it all together.