'... and they lived happily ever after.' and mom would close the leather bound book, kiss your forehead and pull the sheets. then, she'd get up from your bedside and switch the lights off and as she leaves your room she'll poke her head through the closing door like an Acme cartoon ending and tell you good night.

and so we sleep with the memory of cinderella, pinocchio or whatever spectre of childhood wonderment still fresh and it takes life in our dreams and soon enough by the time we're 7 or 8 or 9, we can't seperate fact from fiction and we think that Ever After applies to life.

Ever after, the notion happiness from that point onwards toward infinity (and beyond). what a lark! I'm not a cynic, mind you. Ever After can and does exist, but it comes with a hell lot of clauses and fine print sneakier than a shady car dealer/handphone ad.

Childrens Fairy Tales and story books should come with disclaimers, or should be a hell lot more realistic. cinderella has to slave and raise 3 brats and her prince is fucking snow white on the side and the seven dwarfs, out of work, turn to the midget porn industry.