Glasses

Chapter 4
Homebound

Chapter Description: The moral of the story? Stay away from strange, old women!

Rick blinked a few times before he remembered bumping into the lady. He remembered breaking his glasses and her ’fixing’ them. In a rage, Rick stormed into the old lady’s room.

“What did you do to me?” Rick asked in an even higher pitched voice.

“I did nothing to you child, I gave you fair warning to be loyal to your glasses. You must have let someone else wear them,” she looked so calm, as if she had expected this all along.

“Make me big again!” Rick bellowed, with tears starting to flow from his eyes.

“I can’t do that. The magic of the glasses is expired. Nothing can make you switch back now,” Rick had tears streaming down his rounded face. When he didn’t say anything, and only contiuned to dry his tears did she take pity on him.

“Well, I supposed you have at least earned an explination,” the old lady said. She motioned for Rick to sit down. He sat indian-style on the ground.

“You see, the glasses I gave you changed your perception of the world based on who wore them last. Someone young, a son I supposed?” Rick nodded his up and down sulkingly, “Since you were the first one to wear the glasses, the glasses had a, in lueu of a better word, ’link’ with you. Your son wearing them confused the glasses into thinking they belonged to a child. Since you but them back on while the glasses were changing to child mode, they changed you and your environment to suit their belief,”

“So, I’m not my son, I’m me?” Rick asked quietly.

“You’ve done no body switiching. If you resemble each other, it is the way the creator intended it,” This made Rick feel a little better, that this was his body still and he didn’t swap minds.

“Why does my wife think she’s my mommy and why does everyone remember me as my son’s son?” Rick asked, wanting to know more while he had the chance.

“Ah, you see, the glasses changed your surroundings for you, made it possible for you to live like a normal boy. Your son aged to become your father and quickly forgot it ever being the other way around. Same with your wife, parents, friends, family. That’s why you can’t undo this spell, too many people are invovled. Heck, even your legal papers have been switiched!” The tears began rolling down Rick’s face as he sniffed. Unconciously, he ran over to the old lady and hugged her, trying despertatly to receive some kind of hope.

“My boy, please don’t feel too sad,” the old lady said as she stoked Rick’s hair affectionately, “If my spell works perfectly, which they always do, you won’t remember your old life either,”

“Wha!?” Rick let go of the lady, shocked. He never thought he could actually lose his mind in this process.

“Of course! You must have forseen it. You’ve been slowly giving into childish behavior patterns. It shouldn’t be too long now. Probably kick in the next time you fall asleep . . .” And with that, Rick rushed from the room.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Rick didn’t get too far when some of his former co-workers caught him and brought him back to Glenn’s hospital room. Ryan scolded Rick for the whole car ride home. Rick didn’t say a word. Thinking he might have hurt Rick’s feelings, Ryan cooked a spectacular dinner for the two of them, far better than anything Rick ever made. After dinner, Rick tried to write down his old life for his younger self to remember, but every time he stopped to reread it, parts of his autobiography were missing. Before long, it was nine O’clock and Ryan declared lights out. He put Rick’s blank notebook on the bereau in Ryan, now Rick’s old room, telling him he’d have plenty of time to color in the morning. Then, the light vainished, and like Rick’s memory, the room turned black.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * Rick woke up bright and early the next day, and Vicky was there to watch him (aww, man!).

“Your mommy had her baby last night, squirt, so I’m here to watch you until your dad gets back!” Horribly made scrambled eggs were laid out on the table for Rick, he ate them, and they tasted like all the other food Vicky had made for him. Bland.

Rick’s Papa came home after the Cartoon Network movie. He said mommy was fine and she could come home with the baby tomorrow. Rick was overjoyed. Not only would he have a new baby to play with, but his mommy would be staying home with the two of them for a while.

“Just play nice with your baby brother, ok Rickaroo?”

“OK, Papa,” Rickaroo said with a large smile as Ryan messed up Rick’s hair.

END