Shhhhh, little Bernard's sleeping. Little Bernard needs his sleep, because he is still growing, and because he needs to clear his mind.
When little Bernard wakes up, hopefully he will see straighter than he did in the fug of early yesterday morning when he complained it was unfair someone as young as he is should be kept out on the tennis court until two in the morning, and if he had played during the day as he had asked, he might have won. Hopefully he will see he cannot have his cake and eat it, too.
When little Bernard wakes up, he might accept he is young, yes, but not a baby. At 17, Lleyton Hewitt won a tournament. At 17, Boris Becker won Wimbledon. At 17, most young men do not complain about being kept up until 2 am, they complain about being sent to bed then.
When little Bernard wakes up, he might see he is playing with men, not boys. No one forced him; it was his choice - to the extent he has a choice in the management of his affairs - that is for him and his father to know. He cannot play with men and ask for special dispensation for being a boy.
When little Bernie wakes up, he might see that Tennis Australia already had done him two favours, by giving him a wildcard and then putting him up in lights at the top of Wednesday night's bill. These were favours other players would have loved, but did not get: a fast track into the tournament, the eyes of the nation and the world upon you. Whether they were favours little Bernie boy deserved or needed at this moment in his career is a moot point.
When bestowed in the same way last year, with a wildcard and a nationally televised night match on Rod Laver Arena, little Bern-bern saw that it was a favour. ''It was a great opportunity to play in front of the crowd in the biggest arena here, and I was thankful for that,'' the then 16-year-old said. He lost a match that finished after midnight, but said nothing about being kept up past his bedtime.
One year later, same court, same result, and little Bernie-poo has changed his mind. ''I requested to play during the day, and it didn't happen,'' he said. ''It's ridiculous.'' What is ridiculous is that a gifted, privileged and pampered young athlete should somehow see himself as a victim. He needs to wake up. To himself.
This we say a little more loudly: the way Bernard Tomic is going, he makes it look as if the young Hewitt was done an injustice when he was overlooked for the vacancy of Dalai Lama. Tomic is establishing himself as a precocious brat, as if tennis needs another.
From almost before he could walk, he has had a sophisticated PR machine on his case. Always, he was going to dominate the world. Only the timetable has changed from time to time. It means his fame has always exceeded his achievements. Tennis Australia has by its indulgence been complicit in this subterfuge. To this day, he has won two matches on the ATP tour.
The sad thing is on Wednesday night Tomic the tennis fledgling looked for the first time as if he might be catching up with his own hype. He has an unusual game, dependent on variables of angles and pace rather than on power and athleticism. It kept the highly regarded Marin Cilic up later than he would have expected. Whether it can be made to work against the superstars remains to be seen. But it is a game that is beginning to speak for itself.
Now it needs - he needs - time, perspective and a bit of discretion. It does not need a petty outburst that represents the privilege Tomic enjoyed on Wednesday as a trial because it stretched into Thursday morning. Otherwise, he will wake not to a more enlightened outlook, but to an alarm.
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