The Baby with No Kneecaps -- Invitation to Write #31

For Writers:

When Octavia was born, we were quite relieved. She had ten fingers, ten toes, and in all respects was normal and healthy. But where were her knees?

I didn't immediately notice that she lacked knees, but one day it just dawned on me: this baby has no kneecaps! On the bright side, I thought, she'll be safe from Tonya Harding and the Italian mafia.

But when I pointed out this incredible finding to my wife, a nurse, she merely laughed and said that all babies, including Tavi, have knees. They just don't ossify for a few years.

So here's a case where observation failed. What I could see with my own eyes was one thing, whereas the truth was another -- there all along, but hidden in time under a layer of smooth skin.

If observations can be deceiving, what precautions should we take to see what cannot be seen with the eyes?

"I drive with my knees. Otherwise, how can I put on my lipstick and talk on my phone?" --Sharon Stone

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