As her intravenous caffeine feed had run out during the night, she was not awake enough to process all the information, but it seemed that someone was mooting four months' maternity leave for pregnant schoolgirls in an endeavour to prevent them dropping out of school. The Chair of SADTU in KZN seemed to be arguing against this, on the grounds that four months absence from school would encourage them to drop out.
It seemed that everyone agreed that schoolgirls dropping out of school was a bad thing. No one seemed to have much of an opinion on whether schoolgirls having babies was a good or bad thing - or perhaps that bit had happened before the Cow's consciousness was penetrated by the debate - and the Cow couldn't help wondering whether this was a sign of progress or not.
"Ah yes," Gramsci sighed later when the Cow mentioned the discussion. "It's because of the social grants. Children under 14 bring in income, so they're a desirable commodity. And, as we've seen with Madonna, a cool accessory, too."
It puzzled the Cow no end. Children generally cost more than the State grant paid. And continued costing beyond the 14 subsidised years. The balance sheet didn't seem to balance.
"But when they're 14," reminded Gramsci, "they're old enough to produce their own offspring, and bring in their own money."
A pretty instrumental view of children, thought the Cow. But then, weren't all of them - other motivations frequently cited the need to "complete a family", "cement a marriage", or - for some women - to self-actualise. All of which had everything to do with the parent/s, and nothing to do with the child.
"Of course!" snorted Gramsci. "The child doesn't exist yet! Only once it's physically there can its interests be considered!" Which, of course, raised the spectre of that Other Debate, just lost in Nicaragua, about When Does A Child Exist.
"But given that HIV incidence is so high in KZN - particularly among young women - what happens to all these grant-assets when the mothers become too ill?" mused the Cow. "Even celebrities will soon turn their gaze elsewhere for accessories..."
But Gramsci's attention was elsewhere. "If they're speaking of maternity leave," he muttered, "pension schemes, housing subsidies and thirteenth cheques can't be far behind."
The Cow shook her head slowly. Things certainly had changed since she was a calf.