Get 'em When They're Young


Written by Beth


The snazzy-looking salesman crept into the backyard. "Oh, the boss'll be _so_ proud if I pull this one off! Not many realities get a chance at this mythos! And I'll be able to change the whole thing! Now where is the little... Ah!"

He had just sighted a little boy playing in a sandbox in the backyard. He seemed to be toddler-age, his hair all tousled and this way and that in the manner of little kids playing. He was calmly drawing doodles in the sand with his finger, a shovel and bucket unnoticed at his side.

"Hello, little boy," the salesman said. "My name is Mr. Belsebra. What's your's?"

"Hi, Mr. Belzub," the toddler replied, jumbling the last name a bit. "I can't tell you my name. Mommy told me never to give my name to strangers." He looked up at the man who was trying to figure out a way to get closer without getting sand in his shoes. "And you're pretty strange."

"Oh, I'm not strange. Hey, would you like some candy?"

"No..." the little boy shook his head. "I'm a little hungry but Mommy's making something really good for supper and she wouldn't want me to 'poil my ap-pet-tight."

A frown creased the salesman's forehead. He snatched the little boy up and placed him up on the highest tree branch he could reach. "Well, what would your mommy say about this?" A sneaky look crossed his face. "You know what? I bet you could fly from up there! Why don't you try?"

The little one, however, wasn't paying any attention to the salesman. He was too busy looking around at all of the sights around him. "Oh neato! I can see my friend John's house from up here! And look! A robin! Cool!"

Mr. Belsebra muttered to himself and grabbed the child again, depositing him firmly back into the sandbox. "Okay, kid, one more time. You like building sandcastles?"

The little boy nodded. "Yep! I build them myself with my shovel and my bucket!"

"Well how about this..." The salesman made some mystical passes over the sane in the sandbox. Immediately, towering castles and buildings all in miniature sprang up from the sand dunes. If one looked closely, you could almost swear that you could see little sand people, going about their little sand lives. "There!" he exclaimed. "If you do something for me, I'll give you all of this!"

The little boy looked curiously at the buildings. He even waved to the little sand people. Once he was done, he looked up at the man with confusion in his eyes. "But... how can you give me something that's already mine?"

Mr. Belsebra sputtered and cursed under his breath. "Well... well... oh fine!" he shouted like a spoiled child. He disappeared in a cloud of foul smelling smoke.

The little boy smiled and went back to playing in his sandbox. Not too long later, an angel come out of the house and called him in for dinner.


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