Bryan and Brett banged into the house with their usual clatter. From the laundry room, where he was pulling on clean clothes, Paul heard them approach the kitchen and begin scrounging for an after-school snack.
"Don't forget Dad told you to mow the lawn," Paul heard Bryan say.
"The hell with that," his younger son replied. "I'm going to shoot some hoops. Call me when dinner's ready."
"I'm not making your damned dinner," Bryan grunted.
In the laundry room, frustrated with his sons' disobedience, Paul gripped the wand and whispered, "I wish anyone I talk to will do whatever I tell them to do," he said. The strange electric sensation that coursed through his body seemed to confirm that the wish had taken hold. Little did he know he now appeared to be 12 years younger than his normal age of 42.
Brett and Bryan bickered some more before Paul stepped out, hiding the wand in his back pocket.
"Boys!"
"Uh, hi, Dad," his sons chorused, embarrassed to have been caught arguing about how they would not be completing their chores. They were too flustered to notice that the man before them could not likely be their father if years alone were counted.
"Brett, I want you to go out and cut the lawn now," said Paul.
"But Dad, I--" began Brett's protest. He was caught by surprise when his body moved out the back door through its own volition.
"Bryan, I want you to cook a gourmet supper tonight. None of that frozen-dinner shit."
"OK, I . . . uh." Bryan stood uncertainly for a moment before he said, "I have to go to the store to get some food. We don't have anything but frozen."
"Fine. Go. I want dinner served at 7."
"Yes, Dad." Bryan, too, walked out the door.
Paul sighed contentedly. For once, he could have a peaceful evening with a good meal. For once, hell! Forever after this! He had no idea how he'd managed to get by without a magic wand all these years.
He went out to sit in his favorite chair in the living room to read the paper and had just gotten settled when Steve came downstairs, adjusting his clothes. "Hi, Paul." His coworker looked sheepish. "I'll, uh, see you at work tomorrow. You won't tell anyone about, uh, you know. What just happened?"
Paul considered. "Sit down for a minute, Steve," he said. He had no idea what he was going to do, but he wanted to try out his new powers more.
Just then, there was a knock on the door. With a grunt, Paul got to his feet and opened it, surprised to see Jim Laird, Matt's father, on his doorstep.