After a bit of shopping, Tanya decided to double check her groceries against her receipt and shopping list, while her kids Tom and Cassie engaged in a game of rock-paper-scissors, as they all sat on the bench just outside the checkout.

You have to understand that this was in 2004 - mobile phones weren’t the powerhouse devices they are today, and you certainly couldn’t use social media on them. What’s more, Tom and Cassie were 11 and 9, respectively, and weren’t considered old enough for those sorts of things. Rock-paper-scissors was the most they could do at the moment.

Also worth noting that in 2004, a little movie called The Incredibles was on the horizon, and several food companies were sponsoring a competition called “Feel Incredible Too”, where any entrants would be in the draw to win $250,000.

As Tanya looked through her groceries, she noticed something she didn’t remember purchasing - a block of Cadbury Dairy Milk chocolate. She presumed that one of the kids had put it there, but looking over her receipt, she noticed something else, underneath all the items and prices.

“CONGRATULATIONS! By purchasing a specially-marked block of Cadbury Dairy Milk, you can feel Incredible too with the complementary super power of SUPER STRETCH! To enter the draw for $250,000, purchase any two Cadbury, Schweppes, Pepsi or Cottees products and go to www.cadbury.com.au for full conditions”

This was more than enough to pique Tanya’s interest. She picked up the block of chocolate, and there was Elastigirl and Mr. Incredible on the packet, along with the promotion for the competition. While Tom pretended to cut Cassie’s hand after she drew paper, Tanya reached back behind her, to make a last minute purchase.

“Rock beats scissors! I win again!” Tom boasted. But to his disappointment, Cassie wasn’t interested in responding to his win. She was more concerned about what happened to their mum. Tanya’s arm appeared to have become a big blue noodle with a white stripe, the same colour as her sleeve.

“Uh, Tom? What’s happening to Mum?” Cassie asked.

Tom quickly turned around, and could see that Tanya was completely focused on the block of chocolate.

“Mum? About the chocolate…”

“Not now, honey,” Tanya interrupted. “Mummy’s trying to concentrate.”

Despite her hand being meters away, Tanya seemed to have a strong tactile sense of where it was as it twisted through the supermarket, like it only needed to get near any of the products promoting the draw for her to sense it from where she was. It was currently snaking around the aisle of lollies, but Tanya had other ideas. She extended it through a shelf, coming out in the middle of a space between some Tupperware. Right next to it was the Cottees cordial, and going further, inspected all the soft drinks from Schweppes and Pepsi.

But she still didn’t feel the limit of her elasticity, and extended her arm until it came to a big stand of products promoting the movie and the competition. Every product on the stand was waiting to be purchased, though what powers their customer would get was a complete mystery. Tanya picked up a bottle of clear lemonade, and with that, her arm retracted back as if it was metal tape measure, whipping around the various parts of the store it had previously explored. Unfortunately, her arm’s movements caused Tupperware and lollies to spill, but she wasn’t too concerned for the moment.

While Tanya’s arm was exploring the store, Tom and Cassie just stared at their mother, her ear appearing to enlarge significantly. Neither of them dared to even whisper anything, fearing that Tanya would hear them. Of course, Tanya enlarged her ear so she could hear the cashier’s scanner beep as soon as she brought the bottle over. The cashier was so bored and detached from her job that she didn’t notice the long arm, nor did she pay any mind to the fact that someone else scanned the product instead of her. She instead held out her hand, anticipating the two dollars it cost. Fortunately, Tanya happened to pick up a couple of stray one-dollar coins before she picked up the lemonade, and handed them to the cashier. The cashier responded with a nonchalant “Thanks”.

With the product paid for, Tanya retracted her arm until it was back to its original length, and then popped the lemonade and chocolate into her grocery bags. Both Tom and Cassie were flabbergasted.

“Mum…your arm…” Tom stuttered, lost for words.

Tanya just smirked at the two of them.

“Like it? Got it from buying that block of chocolate…the one that you snuck into my groceries.”

She pulled out the receipt and showed them the blurb. The two kids were shocked.

“Wait, does this mean we have superpowers too?” Cassie asked.

“Did you pay for the chocolate?” Tanya asked.

Tom and Cassie both shook their heads.

“Then no. I have powers, because I paid for the chocolate, with my money.”

Tanya folded her arms and poked her extra-long tongue out at the two of them.

“But I’ll tell you what - if the two of you are on your best behaviour for the next week, I’ll take you to see The Incredibles. And I’ll give the two of you some money to buy some specially-marked stuff from the candy bar.”