“Okay class settle down” Joan Keller said to the rambunctious group of First graders assembled on the floor of her classroom. She rolled her eyes as she walked up to the front of them as she thought “Seriously…I have to put up with a crappy magician today”
She smiled patiently as the noise went down to a dull roar but she still had to put her hands out and call for their attention a few more times “As you all know; today is Callie’s birthday and we have a special surprise today: A magician is coming in to give us a show”
“YEA!” the class called out.
Joan looked around and saw the man standing in the back of the classroom looking rather disheveled. She rolled her eyes again and thought “Is he drunk?” before she introduced him “Let’s give a big welcome to The Amazing Bob”
The Amazing Bob made his way up to the front of the class to the sound of the kids clapping, leaning over to Joan as he passed by to whisper “I don’t drink”
Joan looked around confused but continued to the side of the class as The Amazing Bob said “Thank You…Thank You”
The Amazing Bob looked over and caught Joan’s eye. He winked and went back to his audience.
The Amazing Bob did some card tricks and a few with handkerchiefs that kept the kids’ attention for a few minutes but they began to get restless. “How about I move on to the best part of the show?” he asked to wild cheering.
“Now for this part I need a volunteer”
Every hand went up “Now…now…I will need more volunteers as we go on…I will need the help of Ms. Keller to start out with” The Amazing Bob said extending his hand in her direction.
“Oh No…not me” Joan said blushing “Stick with the kids please”
“Oh there will be kids involved to be sure, but we need to start out with an adult” The Amazing Bob said.
Joan was reluctant but she knew she would have to or never hear the end of it. So she walked to the front of the class to more wild cheers giving the students a slight wave.
“Thank You for your assistance Ms. Keller, now I promise you that this won’t hurt me one bit” he laughed.
“You mean it won’t hurt me one bit” Joan replied.
“That’s what I said” The Amazing Bob replied before turning his attention to the class. “Alright everybody…now that your teacher has agreed to help…I’m going to need your help in deciding what exactly our next trick should be…are there any ideas?”
Every kid began to yell out all at once “One at a time please…one at a time” he said.
The Amazing Bob couldn’t understand any single request through all the screaming so he put his hands out and said “I’ll get us started with this” he produced his magic wand from thin air and waved it over Joan’s head “How about a nice pretty pink bow in her hair”
Joan felt a tugging at the back of her hair as it began to lift up and braid itself all on its own. A very large bright pink ribbon appeared and weaved its way through her hair forming up a giant bow that sat slightly off to the left side.
“TA-DA” The Amazing Bob said to the cheers of the children.
Joan’s hands went up tentatively and touched the satin bow lightly. Her heart began to beat harder in her chest but she just smiled and kept a calm persona for the class.
“She needs a pretty dress to match her hair!” a girl named Taylor yelled out.
A smile crossed the lips of The Amazing Bob “Ah…she does indeed” he said and he waved his wand with a flourish.
Joan felt a gust of air whoosh up around her as her white blouse and black skirt suddenly changed into a very poufy and girlish bright pink dress. Small spaghetti straps ran over her bare shoulders and crinoline scratched at her thighs as folds and folds of material built up. A huge pink bow sat atop her chest matching the one in her hair.
“AH” escaped her lips and her arms shot down trying to push down the puffed out front of her skirt.
The Amazing Bob touched the ground with his wand and a full length mirror began to rise up out of the linoleum floor.
Joan saw herself in the mirror and her jaw dropped “How…How did you do that?” she said looking at the dress that she was now wearing.
“Magic my dear teacher…but hold on…we’re nowhere near finished just yet” The Amazing Bob said as more suggestions came at him.
“Her shoes should match too” a girls voice called out.
The Amazing Bob smirked at spun his wand at Joan’s feet. Her simple black pumps morphed into a pair of 4” bright pink wedge sandals. Joan lurched forward just as a pink strap appeared and wrapped around her ankle helping to stabilize her on the shoes.
She pressed the tulle and crinoline down to see her feet. Her toes were now exposed and she watched as bright pink nail polish appeared across her toe nails.
Joan now straightened back up and looked in horror as she saw her reflection in the mirror.
“She looks like a Barbie Doll…she should have Barbie’s hair too” another voice called out.
Joan’s brown hair suddenly flashed platinum blonde and long curls ran down beside her pink bow down to her shoulders.
“Why don’t we give Ms. Keller a big round of applause” The Amazing Bob said and with a snap of his fingers, Joan was back to normal. Her hair was brown and at her shoulders again, she had on her white blouse and black skirt and simple black pumps. Joan even slid her foot back and out to catch a glimpse of her toes and saw the pink nail polish was gone.
The kids cheered and clapped as Joan did a small curtsey.
“Oh…not so fast Ms. Keller” The Amazing Bob said placing his hand on her forearm. “Now that you’ve seen that my magic is nothing to be afraid of, you need to help with some more tricks…I mean…” he turned back to the kids “What’s a magician without an assistant”
“Yeah” the kids all yelled and Joan felt compelled to stay where she was.
She set her shoulders forward and put her chin up.
“Who here likes animals?” The Amazing Bob said.
Everyone yelled out “ME!”
Joan feared the worst when he knelt down and asked a boy in the front row “What’s your favorite animal?”
“Um…a dog” was Colin’s answer.
The Amazing Bob stood up and pointed his wand at Joan’s mouth.
“Now speak” The Amazing Bob commanded.
“ARF!” Joan barked out, her eyes going as wide as they could. “What’s going on?” her mind raced “Rrrr…Ruff, ruff, ruff ruff” her yipping continued. Joan was unable to speak in her own voice no matter how hard she thought about it, only barks and growls came out of her mouth.
The kids were cracking up and The Amazing Bob finally pointed his wand back at her mouth. “Oh Thank God” Joan said clearly, her hands going to her throat.
“Now…I heard somebody is having a birthday today” The Amazing Bob said as Callie stood up. Callie was turning 7 but she was one of the smallest kids in the class. “Come on up her Birthday girl”
Callie bounded her way up to the front. “Hi Amazing Bob” she said nervously swaying back and forth.
“Hello Callie…I’ve quite a birthday trick for you today” he said to her smiling up at him. “I want you to stand right next to your teacher and both of you face the front”
Callie went over and did as she was told. She barely came up to the middle of Joan’s chest as Joan smiled down at her.
“Now Callie” The Amazing Bob said folding his arms dramatically “What happens to you on your birthday?”
“You get older” she replied.
“Yes, that is correct” The Amazing Bob said. “But this year…we’re going to do something special about getting older”
Callie looked a bit confused but was willing to go along with the trick.
“Callie…look up at your teacher” The Amazing Bob said.
Callie looked up and saw Ms. Keller smiling down at her. “Now Callie…how would you like to be as big as your teacher?”
“Wow…would I?” Callie responded.
“Well I have a trick for just that…but it’s a trick that uses both addition and subtraction…you all do those types of problems in Math don’t you?” The Amazing Bob asked.
Callie nodded.
“Because on the other side of it…how would you like to see your teacher turn into a little kid?” The Amazing Bob asked and Callie’s jaw dropped open. He saw Joan’s purse sitting on the ground next to her desk. He got Callie’s attention and pointed his wand at the purse. In a flash, it changed from a brown Michael Kors purse into a bright pink backpack with Anna and Elsa on it. Callie giggled at their little inside joke that Joan didn’t see.
“Well…we’re going to do some addition and subtraction to get you and Ms. Keller to change roles and ages today. You’ll be the teacher and the grown up and Ms. Keller will be a student and just a 7 year old kid…how would everybody like to see that?”
The loudest cheer yet rolled out. Joan began to complain but The Amazing Bob held up a single finger to her and she stopped. Her mind was screaming out but she was unable to say anything to protest.
“But first…we need to change up a few other things” The Amazing Bob said. “You can’t be a teacher dressed like that” He waved his wand at Callie and her clothes began to change.
The purple t-shirt became a purple sweater. Her jeans rose up and changed into a black skirt and her sneakers changed into a tiny pair of heels that fit her little feet perfectly for the moment.
“And no one would ever believe that you’re a student dressed up like that” The Amazing Bob said waving the wand at Joan. Her white blouse changed into a pink t-shirt with Elsa on it as her black skirt changed, rising higher into a pleated skirt. White socks with tiny pink hearts on them appeared on her feet and rose up her calves to her knees as her heels dropped down and changed into flat Mary Janes.
The clothes were all in her adult size and as she looked at them on her, she felt the tugging at her hair again as her long brown hair pulled to both sides and formed up pigtails. “Uh” was all she managed to say.
“Now…we need a counter” The Amazing Bob flicked his wand at the blackboard behind him and it changed to look more like a scoreboard. Bright red numbers and letters appeared stating Callie 7…Joanie 25…and a third box below and between them that said ‘In Storage’.
“So which one do you want to see first?” The Amazing Bob asked the crowd “Do you want to see Callie get big…or Joanie get little?”
The kids went nuts but most were pointing at their teacher chanting “little, little, little”
The Amazing Bob began to wiggle his wand at Joan. She was mesmerized by it and stared at the white tip as it waggled before her. She felt warmth passing through her body from head to toe as the number beneath her name dropped to 24 and the number In Storage went from 0 to 1.
Joan’s number continued to tick lower behind her head. Her breasts began to decrease in size and her hips narrowed as it moved down past 24, 23, 22, 21.
The number in storage continued to go up as years dropped off of Joan. She passed back through her college years 20, 19, 18 to a high school girl again as her legs thinned and her face began to change. Maturity began to be replaced by a more youthful visage. A few pimples broke out along with freckles as her cheeks got rounder and her nose got smaller.
17, 16, 15, and Joan couldn’t drive anymore as a high school freshman now stood where a teacher once had. Braces appeared on her teeth as she got younger still. Her breasts were almost gone at 14 and at 13 she began to shrink down shorter.
Joan had to adjust her eyes upward to see the wand that now seemed pointed down at her instead being straight on. She finally looked down at her body and saw it was that of a tween. Her clothes shrank along with her becoming smaller as she did.
12, 11 and the braces disappeared again leaving her with a mixture of adult and baby teeth as her pigtails bounced around her very young face. Freckles blossomed out in full force and her nose continued to get smaller and more pert as her cheeks became not only round, but chubby.
10, 9, she dropped a great deal in height and any sign of curve or maturity left her. Her legs were like toothpicks in her knee socks and underneath the pleated skirt, and her Elsa t-shirt hung on her skinny frame.
8 read the number on the scoreboard and the kids cheered when it ticked down to 7. Joanie was barely taller than Callie who was standing next to her, so shocked she couldn’t speak.
A couple of boys in the front row along with a few girls all ran up to their teacher and saw that they were bigger than her now. “Hey…cut it out” she said in a high pitched voice that featured a slight lisp just like when she had been 7 originally; she was mortified once she heard it.
“And now for a check of the board” The Amazing Bob said. Callie and Joanie both turned and saw that it read Callie 7…Joanie 7…In Storage 18.
“I can’t be a seven year old” Joanie said suddenly aware of her situation. She stuck her tongue into a gap in her teeth where she was missing two on the bottom. Her tiny hands flew to her chubby cheeks and pressed down. She looked down at her short little body and then back up with pleading eyes to the magician “Please change me back”
“Tut tut Joanie…the trick is far from over” The Amazing Bob said.
“But…” she began to say. “I don’t like this anymore” she thought.
Callie was smiling though and she put her hands down at her sides as she waited for her part of the trick to start.
The Amazing Bob turned to her and waggled the wand in her direction and she tingled in anticipation. “Here we go class”
The class split their time in the beginning between watching Callie and watching the numbers change. The In Storage number changed for 18 to 17 as the number below Callie went from 7 to 8. Callie got slightly taller and her hair grew a little bit longer. The 8 changed to 9 and she got taller still. Her clothes were growing with her but she was now taller than the other kids in the room.
9 went up to 10 and her face began to change and mature a bit. Her mouth widened and her cheeks slimmed. At 11, braces appeared on her teeth and she went through a growth spurt that took her up to 5 feet tall.
The kids cheered as 11 changed to 12 and then to 13 and they could see her legs growing longer and changes begin to set in as her body matured as a teen.
She topped out at 5’4” in height but continued to develop and mature in her body and face. Her dark blonde hair grew longer and looked thicker as her braces disappeared leaving her with straight white teeth. 14, 15, 16, Callie continued to grow and change her looks. Her eyes widened and her nose grew as her hips and rear spread outward and her chest developed, pushing her purple sweater outward.
17, 18 and college aged Callie emerged solidifying her looks as a young adult.
19, 20, 21 Callie rolled her shoulders getting comfortable in her skin…feeling her body move as she reset her feet, now in size 8 heels and rolled her hips. She put her hands on her full thighs and looked down at her body as the last few years were added on.
Once the number below her name read 25, she smiled and noticed how little her former teacher looked to her. Callie put her hands on her knees and leaned down to her “Hi Joanie” she said in her deep voice. Her dark blonde hair dangling down past her shoulders as she spoke to the child before her. She gave her a little wave with just her fingertips.
Joan’s cheeks burned bright red and she felt intimidated by how big and old Callie was to her now.
“TA-DA” The Amazing Bob said with a flourish of his arms.
Joan looked up at him, eyes still pleading, but he shooed her off the stage “Go and have a seat Joanie…Ms. Berger will act as my assistant now”
Joan staggered forward “But…but…” she mumbled as she went and sat cross legged on the floor amongst all the other kids.
“Now for my final trick as I’m sure you all need to get back to the important tasks of learning” The Amazing Bob said. “But you need a qualified teacher” He tapped the floor and a stack of books appeared.
“Now Ms. Berger…please step over here and stand still.
Callie stood with her hands at her sides again, her fingertips resting at the hem of her skirt. The Amazing Bob picked up the first book and placed at her ear. He smiled and shoved it forward where it vanished into her head.
“Do you feel smarter?” he asked.
“Um…yeah…I guess I do” Callie responded as Historical facts flooded her mind. The Amazing Bob picked up a thick Math book and placed it against the side of Callie’s head. Once again, he pushed it forward where it seemed to flow forward into her and disappear.
Callie smiled as advanced Math filled her mind. The Amazing Bob continued to push book after book into Callie and he finished with producing hundreds of paperback novels from his sleeves that he threw at her; each one disappearing just as it came to her.
The kids cheered wildly except for one. Joanie sat on her hands and watched as the trick proceeded.
“Thank You, you’ve been a great class and I want you to listen and learn like good boys and girls this afternoon for your teacher” he nodded at Callie who now did a slight curtsey.
The kids got up and began to run around; some to their desks while others just ran around in general.
Joanie ran up to The Amazing Bob and grabbed his coat tail and yanked on it to get his attention “Hey…Hey Mr. Magician…aren’t you forgetting something” she cried out.
The Amazing Bob turned and smiled down at her “Why hello there Joanie…what can I do for you?”
“What can you…You can change me back to normal for one thing” Joanie said folding her arms across her flat chest “Look at me…I’m a 25 year old woman…not a 7 year old girl!”
“Oh, I’m not too sure of that anymore…search your mind Joanie” The Amazing Bob said as he stared into her eyes. “I’m pretty sure Ms. Berger is the 25 year old and your teacher…isn’t that right”
Joanie looked up at him and for some reason, she nodded.
The Amazing Bob winked at her and <POOF> in a cloud of smoke, he was gone.
Joanie stared at the empty space in front of her. “Where did he go?” she asked in a panicked voice. “He was just here and he didn’t change me back…but…what am I supposed to do now?”
“You’re supposed to go back to your seat young lady and get out your crayons…we’re going to color in a map or our state silly” Ms. Berger said leaning forward to talk to her student.
Joanie looked up at Callie who winked at her before turning her back and walking off to the teacher’s desk.