Morning light filtered gently through the trees near Angkor Wat, casting soft shadows across the ancient stones. The troop was unusually calm, scattered across low branches and temple steps.
That’s when I noticed Royston.
He was sitting proudly on a flat stone, both hands wrapped securely around a small milk bottle. He drank slowly, savoring each sip like it was the most important part of his morning routine.
A few feet away sat Nico.
Nico wasn’t drinking. He wasn’t even moving much. He was watching.
His eyes followed every tilt of the bottle. Every pause. Every swallow.
At first, it looked like simple curiosity. But then I noticed how still he remained—almost unusually patient for a young monkey known for bursts of playful energy.
He edged slightly closer. Not enough to alarm Royston, just enough to shorten the distance.
Royston, fully focused on his milk, didn’t seem to notice.
Nico paused again.
In American households, siblings often eye each other’s snacks with that same calculated patience—waiting for the perfect distraction. The scene unfolding in the Angkor Wat forest felt surprisingly familiar.
Then it happened.
Royston briefly lowered the bottle to adjust his grip.
In that split second, Nico reached out—quick but not aggressive—and touched the bottom of the bottle, testing the opportunity.
Royston reacted instantly, pulling it back with wide-eyed surprise.
The moment froze.
Then something even better happened.
Instead of tension, there was playful chatter. Royston shifted position, turning his back protectively. Nico leaned away, pretending innocence, glancing off toward the trees as if nothing had happened.
The troop seemed unfazed.
No confrontation. No drama. Just youthful mischief and boundary-setting.
A few minutes later, Royston finished his milk and climbed upward. Nico followed—not to steal, but to play.
The bottle had simply been part of the morning’s entertainment.
Under the towering silhouette of Angkor Wat, two young monkeys reminded me of childhood everywhere—where curiosity meets opportunity, and laughter often follows.
