Hot Dog

"A family settled down for dinner at a restaurant. The waitress first took the order of the adults, then turned to the seven-year old.

" 'What will you have?' she asked.

"The boy looked around the table timidly and said, 'I would like to have a hot dog.'

"Before the waitress could write down the order, the mother interrupted. 'No hot dogs,' she said, 'Get him a steak with mashed potatoes and carrots.'

"The waitress ignored her. 'Do you want ketchup or mustard on your hot dog?' she asked the boy.

" 'Ketchup.'

" 'Coming up in a minute,' said the waitress as she started for the kitchen.

"There was a stunned silence when she left. Finally the boy looked at everyone present and said, 'Know what? She thinks I'm real!' "

Anthony de Mello in The Heart of the Enlightened