The Youngest Brother : The Charismatic Charmer

My best friend told me about this Superpower Shop in the Bronx.

Stairs with rusted rails led to the shop.

It was clearly a last minute thought.

To my surprise the door was unlocked.

“Good afternoon, can I help you?”

“Yes, my friend recommended your store--is it true you sell superpowers?”

“Yes. Would you like to try some out?”

“Thank you! Very much.”

I enjoyed the experience more than I thought:

The first was Flight. A killer opener.

If I hadn’t been struck out by the basement ceiling, it would have been a home-run.

“Did you know jumping is easier without gravity? Your feet never need to touch the ground!”

Second up to bat was Super Strength.

I deformed the batting cage accidentally with a “casual” pitch.

“Oh my! I am very sorry!”

He shrugged: “Always happens.”

Third was Invisibility. What a pop-fly!

My decision was up in the air so long that the owner locked the door and began surveying his monitor.

“What were you doing?” He demanded.

“Making poses in the mirror, of course! What else?”

I was enjoying myself so much that I hadn’t realized an hour had passed.

The owner, arms crossed, asked me if I had made up my mind.

“What superpower is it going to be?”

I smiled.

“Thanks for this once-in-a-lifetime experience…but I decided on none!”

“Really?” That was the first time the owner seemed surprised.

“Yes. Conventional powers only solve conventional problems. But to save the world I need to go above and beyond!”

He looked at me funny.

“Instead, I want this power: to always say the right thing at the right time.”

The owner paused, he was smiling.

“I don’t sell that. But I might just have what you need...”

The owner reached beneath the counter and handed me a book: The Phantom Tollbooth by Norton Juster.

“Now listen carefully: To deal with any situation you will need to keep an open mind. This book will teach you how to do that.”

I took the book and left the store, destined to one day return…

AND THAT WAS HOW MY DESTINY AS A SUPERHERO BEGAN.