“Goodnight,” Neanderdad said.  He then expected his children to go to sleep but that was foolishness on his part.  He should have known from long experience that it would not be goodnight.  This particular ‘goodnight’ was only the beginning.  This first utterance was simply the signal to the five-year-old boy and the six-and-a-half year-old girl that the game was afoot.  Upon hearing father say the phrase, both children promptly fled the bedroom with squeals of laughter.  Neanderdad glumly watched them go and sighed, powerless to stop them.  They were out of reach.  There was no goodnight. Continue reading →