A grandfather sat his grandson on his knee and prepared the small child for a story. No one asked the child if the child really wanted to hear a story, or if it really had the
time for a story, or if there was something more important the child should have been doing. The grandfather merely captured his progeny for selfish purposes and all others occupying the house stood witness as it happened, doing little to help. Each of them had had their turn, and each of them wished that someone had spoken up on their behalf. Even spanish-speaking house-cleaner Maria had heard (yet failed to comprehend) her fair share of grandfather's stories. Now it was time for the grandchild's initiation. His very first. With a toothless smile and slightly crazed cough-infused laughter, grandfather prepared himself. "There lived a boy of seven married to a dishwasher named Sue in happy unicorn land..." Grandfather began. And the grandson began to cry, not only because grandfather was a scary man, but because his story was ridiculous.