"Daddy, I'm kind of scared."

"Why, honey?"

"People on the TV are saying mean things about other people. They are saying that they have done a lot of bad things and that they have dangerous ideas."

"Oh, don't worry, honey. Those are just ads for political candidates. They won't be on the TV after the election."

"What's an election?"

"That's where we vote to decide which candidate we want to win."

"But if they have done bad things and have dangerous ideas, how do you choose between them?"

"Well, they belong to different parties ,and the parties disagree about how to do things."

"Why don't they both have a party together? That would be more fun."

"They don't like to work together."

"But wouldn't that be better for the country?"

"Yes, but they won't do it, so we have to choose."

"Why?"

"Because each party is trying to save the country from what will happen if the other party wins."

"How do you know which is the good party and which is the bad one?"

"Well, each party's candidate tells you why the other candidate is bad for the country."

"Who tells you who is good for the country?"

"Both parties tell you that they are good for the country."

"But, how do you know which one is the really bad one?"

"The other party is always the bad one."

"But how do you know which party is the other one?"

"Well, you join one party and then the other one is the bad one."

"I'm getting more scared than ever."

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Eddie Ryshavy lives in Plymouth.