"When you're a kid, see, monsters live in your bedroom closet. I had six monsters lived in my bedroom closet, and thank goodness for covers or else I would never have been alive today. Covers saved my life."
It's always best when the light is off It's always better on the outside Fifteen blows to the back of your head Fifteen blows to your mind So tuck the kids in safe tonight Shut the eyes in the cupboard I got the smell of a local man
Children, have you ever met the Boogeyman before? No, of course you haven't, for you're much too good I'm sure.
Don't you be afraid of him, if he should visit you. He's a great big coward, so I'll tell you what to do:
Hush-Hush-Hush, here comes the Boogeyman! Don't let him come too close to you he'll catch you if he can. Just pretend, that you're a crocodile, and you will find that Boogeyman will run away a mile.
Say Shoo-Shoo, and stick him with a pin! Boogeyman will very nearly jump out of his skin.
Say Buzz-Buzz, just like the wasp that stings, Boogeyman will think you are an elephant with wings!
Hush-Hush-Hush, here comes the Boogeyman! Tell him you got soldiers in your bed, for he will never guess that they are only made of lead.
Say, Hush-Hush! He'll think that you're asleep. If you make a lovely snore, away he'll softly creep.
Sing this tune, you children one and all, Boogeyman will run away, he'll think it's Henry Hall!
When the shadows of the evening creep across the sky, and your mommy comes upstairs to sing a lullaby, tell her that the Boogeyman no longer frightens you, Uncle Henry very kindly told you what to do!
Hush-Hush-Hush, here comes the Boogeyman! Don't let him come too close to you, he'll catch you if you can.
Just pretend, your teddy bear's a dog! Then shout out "Fetch him teddy!" and he'll hop off like a frog!
Say "Meeeeeow!" pretend that you're a cat, he'll will think you may scratch and that will make him fall down flat.
Just pretend he isn't really there, you will find that Boogeyman will vanish in thin air.
Here's one way, to catch him withour fail~ just keep a little salt with you and,
put it on his tail!
—Henry Hall, "Here comes the Boogeyman"
Then you've got to tell yourself it's just nerves, nothing to worry about.
Then you've got to assure yourself it was only a shadow, even if you can't say what cast that shadow.
Then you've got to remind yourself that you're an adult, even though you can't see what difference it makes.
You've got to remember that your parents told you how silly it was to worry about shadows.
You've got to recall the courage your brother gave you to face the night... to face your fear.
You've got to.
They all meant well.
All they wanted was to help you grow up to be a man.
It's a pity they were all wrong.
