n. the smallest measurable unit of human connection, typically exchanged between passing strangers—a flirtatious glance, a sympathetic chuckle, a nod of mutual respect, a shared laugh about some odd coincidence—moments that are fleeting and random and unexceptional but still contain powerful emotional nutrients that can alleviate the symptoms of feeling alone.
n. a pattern of eating non-food materials including, but not limited to: dirt, hair, sand, hair, or animal feces. To be classified as pica, the behavior must last for more than a month. A different sort of obscure sorrow…