Taking Leave of the Bogeyman

Hmmm, is there anythingas futile as trying to outrun our shadow?

The five year old girltugged on her mother’s sleeve to get her attention.

“Mommy, I’m scared.”

“Scared of what, Sweetie?”

“The Bogeyman.”

“Oh, there’s no suchthing as the Bogeyman.”

“Yes, there is!”

“Let’s look under yourbed and in your closet. You’ll see that there’s nothing there.”

“That’s not where theBogeyman lives.”

“Where do you think helives?”

“I think he lives in theTV and on your computer.”

“Why would you thinkthat?”

“Because whenever youwatch the TV or look at your computer, you have your upside down smile on. Youused to smile all the time. But now it’s always upside down.”

“I’m sorry, Sweetie. I’lltry to smile more. It’s nothing you need to worry about.”

“But it’s why you wearthat thing on your face when you leave the house, isn’t it? So the Bogeyman won’tknow you’re you.”

“No, no. It’s justsomething we need to do for a little while until… Well, just for a littlewhile.”

“Until you get thespecial medicine?”

“Yes, that’s right. Andit won’t be long now.”

The child thought for amoment – her brow tightly furrowed as she puzzled and puzzled.

“Mommy, I think theBogeyman lives in our shadow.”

“No. Our shadow is justwhat happens when the sun shines on us.”

“But it’s a dark thingthat follows us always. I tried to run away from it, but I couldn’t. TheBogeyman can run as fast as I can.”

“No, it’s true. You can’toutrun your shadow. But it’s not the Bogeyman. The Bogeyman is just makebelieve.”

“I don’t believe you,Mommy.”

“Why not?”

“Because you’re stillwearing the upside down smile on your face. I think you should stop watchingthe TV and stop looking at your computer. I think that’s the special medicineyou need.”

The mother was caughtoff guard by this wise counsel. A smile came across her face.

“You may be right,Sweetie. You may be right.”

~  Now Available Onlinefrom Amazon, Chapters Indigo or Barnes & Noble: Hunting Muskie, Rites ofPassage – Stories by Michael Robert Dyet

~ Michael Robert Dyet is alsothe author of Until the Deep Water Stills – An Internet-enhanced Novel whichwas a double winner in the Reader Views Literary Awards 2009. Visit Michael’swebsite at www.mdyetmetaphor.com .

~ Subscribe to Michael’s Metaphors of Life Journal aka Things That MakeMe Go Hmmm at its’ internet home www.mdyetmetaphor.com/blog2 . Instructions for subscribingare provided in the Subscribe to this Blog: How To instructions page in theright sidebar. Ifyou’re reading this post on another social networking site, come back regularlyto my page for postings once a week.