“I’m an alien from a different galaxy! Give me your money, or I’ll blast you!”

“Oh, that’s just stupid.” Benjamin had had enough of Kevin’s inconsistent imagination. “First of all, why would you ever cross intergalactic space? To steal my money? That’s like an ant going to a different continent for a bite to eat. And second of all, why would my money, a national and political construct, be of any value to you?”

Kevin tried again. “I’m an alien from the moon. Give me your, uh... So what would an alien want, anyway?”

Benjamin shrugged. “Water, probably. We have lots of it, and it’s essential for life. And from the moon? Get real.”

Kevin sat in the dirt next to the jungle gym, dejected. “I’m only playing with you because the teacher made me.”

Benjamin, somewhat contrite, sat down next to Kevin. “All right. You can be from a different galaxy if you want to.”

“Really? Can I say I came to take your money?”

Benjamin sighed. “Yes, you can say you came to take my money.”

Kevin’s interest was renewed. “And can I have a name that takes ten thousand years to pronounce?”

Benjamin clenched his fists, but relented. “Yes, you can have a name that takes ten thousand years to pronounce.”

“And can my space ship run on mind power? And can my ray gun destroy the universe?”

Through gritted teeth, Benjamin said, “Fine. Whatever you want. I’ll just pretend I’m in an alternate reality where logic and reason don’t exist.”

Kevin, happy with the outcome of the negotiation, stood up and pointed his ray gun finger at Benjamin. Benjamin stood and faced Kevin, waiting for Kevin to make his ultimatum, but Kevin remained silent. Benjamin, running out of patience, said, “Well? Aren’t you going to say anything?”

Kevin dropped his ray gun to his side, signifying he was dropping out of character, and said, “What, I’m supposed to speak English, now?”