Daughter: Do you believe in magic?

Father: Yeah look. (he puts his hand in front of her face) I just tell my finger to move and (finger moves) did you see that? Look (he looks at his feet) I say to the foot move and (moves foot). Magic. I think it and it happens.

Daughter: I mean real magic.

Father: That is real magic.

Daughter: I mean like a portal to another world. Do you believe there is a portal to another world.

Father: No.

Daughter: I do.

Father: Awesome, but just so you know, you and me being alive and talking like this. It’s magic. Completely magic.

Daughter: Flying would be magic. People flying.

(next day)

Daughter: What’s war?

Father: (long pause) Do you know what hostility is?

Daughter: No.

Father: You know when you are playing a game on the computer and your mother or I say you’re watching too much and we take it away and right away you get angry, sometimes even uncontrollably, even try swinging at me. Like you act very differently than the way you usually act. You know those times?

Daughter: Yes.

Father: That’s hostility and there’s a bunch of hostility and a bunch of kindness too, inside everyone. Sometimes the hostility gets too big inside people and if they have weapons, guns, knives, you know what I mean? They can use them and even start killing people. They have no control.

Daughter: Can I use the computer?

Father: Are you joking?

Daughter: No.

(next day)

Daughter: (playing piano) Papa! I can do it! (plays something she couldn’t before) I can do it!

Father: Magic.

Daughter: Yes it is magic.

Father: Can you do that in this octave (he points up the piano)

Daughter: No I don’t want to.

Father: It just will sound cleaner up here.

Daughter: (upset) I’m fine. Stop telling me more than I can do.

Father: You don’t have to go to war.

Daughter: It’s not war unless I kill you.

Father: Then what is it?

Daughter: It’s a portal to the world you don’t believe in.

Father: Seriously?

Daughter: Don’t worry, you don’t see it.