Nine o'clock lullaby

Marilyn Singer

While Mama reads a sleepytime tale at 9 p.m. in Brooklyn, people have a snack in the pantry at 2 a.m. in England, the cat knocks over the samovar at 5 a.m. in Moscow, a family has a barbecue at noon in Australia, and the sun is setting at 6 p.m. in Los Angeles.