The End of the World
The kids came up the stairs in a state of absolute panic. I'm not sure who was screaming louder, Jake or Sam.
"Dad, the world is ending," Jake announced.
"Oh yeah, when?" I asked.
"2012," Sam said. "We read it on the Internet."
"2012?" I asked, "Why so long, can't they end it earlier?"
Neither boy laughed and Kathy looked at me with that 'the-kids-are-scared-it's-time-to-hug-them-look.'
"The world isn't ending," I said. "Those are people who are trying to scare you. They're just dopey people who have nothing better to do."
Kathy meanwhile started hugging them. I was sort of losing my patience with the conversation because they were certainly putting more stock in the Internet article than in my words of wisdom.
"When I was a kid they said the world would end," I said.
"And in 2000, they said the whole world would blow up," Kathy reminded. "And we're still here."
"Yeah, but what if they're right?" Jake asked.
Sam had tears in his eyes.
"They aren't, right," Kathy said. "Go play."
It took awhile, but they found something else to distract them. Nearly a half an hour later, Kathy said, "What if that did happen?" There was fear in her voice too.
"All I know," I said, "is that if we all go at once, the line to get judged is going to be unbearable."
"Dad, the world is ending," Jake announced.
"Oh yeah, when?" I asked.
"2012," Sam said. "We read it on the Internet."
"2012?" I asked, "Why so long, can't they end it earlier?"
Neither boy laughed and Kathy looked at me with that 'the-kids-are-scared-it's-time-to-hug-them-look.'
"The world isn't ending," I said. "Those are people who are trying to scare you. They're just dopey people who have nothing better to do."
Kathy meanwhile started hugging them. I was sort of losing my patience with the conversation because they were certainly putting more stock in the Internet article than in my words of wisdom.
"When I was a kid they said the world would end," I said.
"And in 2000, they said the whole world would blow up," Kathy reminded. "And we're still here."
"Yeah, but what if they're right?" Jake asked.
Sam had tears in his eyes.
"They aren't, right," Kathy said. "Go play."
It took awhile, but they found something else to distract them. Nearly a half an hour later, Kathy said, "What if that did happen?" There was fear in her voice too.
"All I know," I said, "is that if we all go at once, the line to get judged is going to be unbearable."
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