Daddy, it's not the end of the world you know.
Said my little lady reassuringly.
What's not the end of the world lass?
Said I, in that well meaning but condescending way that comes naturally when you are a parent of a child that can speak.
The animals in the movies always think it is but it's not. You know, like the dinosaurs.
Ah yes, the dinosaurs.
Yes Daddy, you know. There are earthquakes and meteors and they always think it's the end but it always goes on.
Ah yes, you're right. They always think it's the end of the world but it never is!
That's right Daddy, it never is.
I patted the little lady on the head. Glad that we had sorted all that out.
She looked up at me with wide open eyes.
When will the earth die daddy?
The earth what? Oh for flippity flip. What was happening in this house? Her mummy was turning into a flower munching hippy and now it seemed like my daughter was becoming the death singer.
Oh don't worry lass, the earth won't die for a very long time. A very long time indeed.
There that should sort her.
But it will die.
Well not necessarily, I mean who is to say it won't last forever?
I know, it's a bit of a white lie but I thought it would head us off at the pass.
This time when she looked at me her voice was hollow and her eyes deep in shadow as she uttered a message from the universe itself. Her voice was deep and echoed from the depths of infinities incomprehensible to man.
EVERYTHING DIES DADDY.
Oh sweet jeebus. Was she Kali? Had we unwittingly birthed the lord of death into the world? Had we in fact hastened the end of the earth by bringing into being the catalyst of it's destruction?
That's a bit extreme lass, who told you that?
Whoever it was was going to get it in the neck from me. They should be telling her about ponies and sweet kittens. Not such nihilistic thoughts of doom and despair.
You did Daddy! You told me everything dies.
Ah. Silly Daddy. When will I learn.