Children under, say, ten, shouldn't know br that the universe is ever-expanding, br inexorably pushing into the vacuum, galaxies br br swallowed by galaxies, whole br br solar systems collapsing, all of it br acted out in silence. At ten we are still learning br br the rules of cartoon animation, br br that if a man draws a door on a rock br only he can pass through it. br Anyone else who tries br br will crash into the rock. Ten-year-olds br should stick with burning houses, car wrecks, br ships going down -- earthbound, tangible br br disasters, arenas br br where they can be heroes. You can run br back into a burning house, sinking ships br br have lifeboats, the trucks will come br with their ladders, if you jump br br you will be saved. A child br br places her hand on the roof of a schoolbus, br & drives across a city of sand. She knows br br the exact spot it will skid, at which point br the bridge will give, who will swim to safety br & who will be pulled under by sharks. She will learn br br that if a man runs off the edge of a cliff br he will not fall br br until he notices his mistake. br br br Anonymous submission.