I have been taking Goblin for some long walks lately: from my street on the Upper West Side over to Cleopatra's Needle on the Upper East. We come home by looping south through the Ramble. Goblin likes to walk on the path by the lake because she gets to watch the ducks and swans on one side and the squirrels on the other. I like to sit on the rocks across from Strawberry Fields and study the juxtaposition of buildings and trees and water and sky.

I have heard a great deal about people having public sex in the Ramble, but mostly I see class trips and old men walking with their wives. I did witness some very definite foreplay at Cleopatra's Needle one day. Rob is convinced that Goblin will poop in the wrong place and somehow bring the entire obelisk crashing down.

I doubt the couple steaming up the adjacent park bench would have noticed if she did.