Bedtime Story

"Tell me a bed time story! Tell me me me me me!" the little boy jumped up and down on his bed.

"Now, what did I tell you about jumping on your bed?" his uncle asked.

"That I'm not allowed to do it, because if you'd get all excited too and decided to join me, you'd hit your head against the ceiling and I'd have to call 911 again..." the boy sighted. He fell in a huge pile of pillows. 

"My head thanks you," his uncle smiled. "You're welcome," the boy grinned, "Now tell me a bed time story already!"

"Don't be so hasty. Everything comes exactly at the right moment for those who wait. Did you brush your teeth?"

"Yes!"
"I don't believe you." The man sniffed the boy's breath. "Yikes, what does my sister feed you?"
"Pasta with lots and lots of garlic!" the boy laughed. Then his face suddenly turned grave. "It's against those nasty vampires, you know, so they won't bite me."
"Vampires?" his uncle asked surprised, "Have you met one?"
"No, uncle K, and I don't ever want to come across one, so I keep them at a distance by eating lots and lots of garlic."
"Well, if you've never met a vampire, then how do you know they're nasty creatures?"
"Because mommy told me."
"And did your mommy ever meet a vampire?"
"No. At least I don't think she met one..."
"If she has never met one, then how does she know what they're like?"
"I don't know... But, but," the boy uttered, "Mommy would never lie. If she says they're nasty creatures, then they are!"
"Even if there's no evidence to support her words?"
"Yes!"
"Well, I've met some and -"
"You've met vampires?!" the boy abruptly interrupted his uncle.  "Show me your neck!" He closely examined his uncle's neck. "No bite marks. Thank goodness!"
"You shouldn't be so scared of vampires, you know. They are very nice people. They even have a 'no biting' policy. So, you can easily cut back on your garlic intake." The man waved away the smell of the boy's breath. "Now go brush your teeth."
"But, but... I don't get it!" the boy exclaimed. "Why would mommy say they're bad if you say they're nice?"
"Well," his uncle replied, "Vampires look a bit different and, unfortunately, humans tend to be scared of everything out of the ordinary.  In order to protect you against a possible threat, your mommy made up the 'vampires are nasty creatures' thing, in the hope that you'd avoid them. But if she'd just be brave enough to go talk to them, she'd soon find out that there is nothing to be afraid of. You see, deep down inside we all want the same thing: a safe place for their children to grow up.  Now go brush your teeth."


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