Humankind cannot bear very much reality

We all remained masked throughout our visit. Evan wanted to instruct me on how to play with action figures. He had a castle with a moat, some trolls, some soldiers. He said I could pick my own character.

I asked, "Who are the kind ones?"

Patiently, he answered, "They're action figures, Baba. They're for action, like fighting evil and defending the castle from trolls and bad guys."

I said, "Well some of them have to grow food for people in the castle to eat, right?" 

"There's no farm." He was sure about that.

"But Evan," I persevered, "there has to be food for the people in the castle. The action heros have to eat, or they'll be weak and they'll starve. So there has to be a farm, and people who grow food for the action figures."

With great patience and gentleness, in a tone one might use to instruct a beloved but ancient dog that has become incontinent, he explained, 

"Baba, the action figures are plastic. They don't have to eat."