Bedtime Stories

Did your parents read to you at bedtime?
Did you read to your own children at bedtime?

If either of the above are true, then there was very likely a favourite story that was read again and again and again, resulting in worn out story books or a tale burned into memory to be recited anytime at a moments notice.

Well, I have no children to read to and was only the recipient of one bedtime story ... but what a story it was.

It was The Lord of the Rings by J.R.R. Tolkien.

Night after night I would live the life of a Hobbit ... run with Elves ... partake in epic battles with Orcs ... race through the underworld with Dwarves ... until the dark lord Sauron was finally defeated.

My father, who read to me each night, was not the best of readers and, at times, many a humorous delay occurred as he tied his tongue into knots as he tried to pronounce the more difficult words, thus causing an already lengthy saga to become even longer.

But I still remember that tale and to this day, many years after the tale ended, I can recall that last evening as the final lines where read ...

"'Well, I'm back,' he said." read my father. "The end!"

"Thank f*ck for that!" I blurted out. "Now can I go to the pub?"