“good. now say it all together.”
“what? no. what’s a cam man? that’s not what you said.”
star giggles. the candy man doesn’t know his name. silly candy man. fuh yoo camman!
gin rolls his eyes. “okayyyyy, let’s try this again, huh? fuck, you, daddy.”
big laughs! belly laughs! star throws a crayon at him. yes! fuh YOO! camman! camman! my daddy gets you candies. i know you. candy man.
“what the fuck, kid? that’s — that’s not even my name. my name is —”
“… okay, that’s creepy. how in the fuck —”
go way gin cambee man. meanie. bully man. shadows boogie man. i know you. i know you much.
baba love gin. star love gin. no fuh yoo daddy.
gin stands there, flabbergasted, staring down at the shape of the toddler. the star child is barely two, if that, babbling away. this is by far the most articulate thing they’ve ever heard come out of his mouth. “oh, you’re far more interesting than i thought.”
star giggles. gin isn’t even here. he pretends, he slideys down the slide into the stories and watches outside them. gin can’t hurt him or daddy. is why he tries star to do it. bye-bye gin!
“bye-bye? no, what? i’m not done! you go bye-bye.” stomped foot and a huff!
placid gaze, dark brown eyes meet white starshine. go way peas. or no cambee. daddy says so.
gin doesn’t care about the stupid candy. they do not like the way this toddler is staring at them, though. they growl. “fine. bad timing, sure, whatever. i’ll be back.”
“yuh-huh — why the fuck am i arguing with a toddler. jesus christ.”
star giggles and waves as gin pops out of view. bye-bye. more important things than gin cambee man. he’s making important drawing. tongue sticks out of mouth as he adds a streak of black to the purple sky. no scary anymore. gin wakes up one day. star knows it.