They Said, “Wait Until I Visit Earth”

A food-delivery slave, his feet shackled and his body covered in wounds, came to a prisoner whose hands were bound in magical iron chains and asked him a question. “Dad, why do you want me to call you Dad?” The prisoner replied: “Because on Earth, it’s every man’s favorite word. And I’ve watched you grow up, bit by bit, so I like hearing you call me that.” The food-delivery slave asked: “What kind of place is Earth, anyway? Why do you keep talking about it?” The prisoner answered: “It’s my home. My wife and children are waiting for me there.” The slave continued: “Do they call you Dad, too?” The prisoner replied: “My wife calls me ‘darling,’ and my children call me Dad, just like you do.” The slave asked: “Why don’t they call you ‘father’? Why ‘Dad’?” The prisoner smiled and said: “Because that’s Earth. This isn’t.” The slave asked: “If I call you Dad too, can I go there and see it?” When the slave had finished asking, a tear slipped from the corner of the prisoner’s eye. He said: “Of course. You’re my child too. You have to come visit Earth!” “Come on, my big boy. Dad will teach you something fun.” “What’s that?” “This thing is called a gun!”