| "You're looking for modern baby cribs, aren't you?" | | | | 1974, about safety standards for baby cribs. There's |
| Mom asked me. I hesitated. "Modern?" I asked. I | | | | the law about lead paint, and another about sharp |
| smoothed my hands over my pregnant belly. "Of all | | | | protrusions and latches and, of course, the one about |
| the adorable things this baby's going to have, the crib's | | | | the width of bars." Mom handed the paper to me. |
| going to be the best. I didn't know there was such a | | | | I read over the list that Mom had printed. I would have |
| thing as a modern baby crib. Anyway, I want | | | | expected baby cribs to be the safest places on earth, |
| something gorgeous and old-fashioned." | | | | but as I read down the list I could see that there were, |
| Grandma chimed in. "I still have yours in the attic," she | | | | or used to be, manufacturers who were concerned |
| said to Mom. "It's got nothing to do with being gorgeous | | | | only with the almighty dollar. Baby cribs could look safe |
| or old-fashioned," Mom said. "It's about safety." "You | | | | but actually be dangerous. I felt a chill run down my |
| were safe enough in yours," said Grandma. | | | | spine. |
| "Of course I was," agreed Mom. "It's just that these | | | | "It's all right, dear," Mom said while she rubbed the |
| days, when you're looking at baby cribs, you want one | | | | goosebumps on my arm. "It's regulated now. All we |
| that meets the new safety standards about lead paint, | | | | need to do is find baby cribs with a manufacturer |
| width of bars, that kind of thing." "Lead paint?" I said. | | | | warranty, a safety manual, and probably some tags |
| "Who would put lead paint on baby cribs?" | | | | showing off how safe they are." |
| "Manufacturers would, before the government | | | | "And date of manufacture?" put in Grandma. |
| outlawed it," Mom said. "I think it might have been in the | | | | "Absolutely," agreed Mom. "I doubt that you'd find |
| seventies, some date like that. I guess I shouldn't still be | | | | something that old in the stores. But if it doesn't show |
| thinking of it as new. Anyway, modern cribs come with | | | | any date of manufacture, you're right; we'd have to |
| a safety manual and a statement that they obeyed | | | | pass it by." "I guess that lets out garage sales," I said. "I |
| the law," Mom said. "We could Google it if you like." | | | | sort of hoped I might find fabulous antique baby cribs." |
| Mom has become a Google aficionado; there's nothing | | | | "Not worth the risk," said Grandma. "It's too bad. Some |
| that can't be solved by a journey that starts with | | | | of those old cribs look wonderful. But we have no |
| Google. | | | | way of knowing if they might be dangerous." I finished |
| Grandma and I had herbal tea and gossip while Mom | | | | the last of my herbal tea, folded up the print-out and |
| Googled. After a while we heard the printer. "Okay," | | | | stuck it in the back pocket of my jeans. "Anybody |
| Mom said, as she entered the kitchen waving a piece | | | | want to go shopping for baby cribs?" I asked. |
| of paper. "It's not one law; it's several, all passed after | | | | |