1:
It was Saturday and as usual, Al's Toy Barn was packed. Andy stared at the shelf above his head. "It's taken five weeks, but I finally have enough money!"
Maxie stood behind him. "So much for a 'buck, buck, buck.'" She said, eyeing the price tag. She was holding a giant bag of chocolate malt balls from the new candy aisle Al had put in recently. The plastic sack was as big as her torso and filled to the top.
Andy ignored her. "This is going to be the greatest thing ever!" Standing on his tiptoes, he pulled down the giant black box.
It was half as big as Andy and he struggled to hold it up. "'J.L.'s Junior Magic Kit!'" He read the shiny silver font. "The commercial said whoever owns one of these could be the next Harry Houdini!"
Maxie blinked. "You want to die by being punched in the stomach?"
"It was a burst appendix, and you know what I meant!" The box was heavy and Maxie helped him put it in the cow-headed cart.
"Ok, Kids!" Said Mom as she appeared in the aisle. Molly toddled behind, holding a yellow stuffed duck. Since she didn't get an allowance yet, Mom had agreed to buy her something small. "Find what you want?"
She stopped in front of the cart. "You sure you want to buy this, Andy? It's awfully expensive."
"Yeah Mom!" Andy started to push the cart toward the cash register.
"I didn't even know you liked magic," said Mom as she walked beside him.
"I have since I saw the commercial!" He answered.
"Ok, just no sawing your sister in half."
"Very funny, Mom."
As they got in line five, a large balding man on a cell phone roughly pushed past them. "What do mean I don't have a case?" He barked. "That airport deliberately and purposefully stole my collectibles and I want them to pay! You're my lawyer! Can't you do something? Anything?"
Mom stared at him thoughtfully. "That man…I've seen him somewhere before."
"That's Al," said Andy. "I've seen him on TV. He owns this place."
Maxie had scrunched up her nose as he lumbered by. "He smells like greasy fried chicken and bad after shave."
Al was still talking loudly on the phone. "I just can't believe you won't represent me on this! All right, all right, fine! Thanks for nothing! You are the absolute, worst, most over priced lawyer I have ever met! See you at dinner, Mom…"
At the Davis house, Maxie sat on the sofa and watched as Andy giddily opened the box. "I bet you I could win a talent show with this! Or maybe get on TV!"
As he pulled the case open, Maxie leaned over it and looked inside. "Maybe you could get your money back instead."
Andy stared at the contents. They were all made of cardboard and cheap plastic. "I'm sure that they work better than they look." He pulled out a bent magic wand. "Maybe."
Maxie was looking at the magician's hat. It was made of thin, flimsy plastic. "So this is how they do the 'Rabbit in a Hat' trick!" She said, looking inside. "Kind of disappointing."
Andy flopped on the couch. "I can't believe this! Five weeks of dishes and mowing the lawn and vacuuming and everything and all I get is a bunch of junk!"
Maxie was wearing the hat now. She smiled sympathetically and patted his arm. "It's ok. Maybe Houdini's first magician's set was a bummer too. Hey!" She reached into the box. "What's this?" She was holding a doll. It had shiny turquoise hair and a sparkly blue dress.
Andy pulled out the manual. "'Merlina, your Magical Magician's Assistant.' It says here that you're supposed to put her in this cardboard box and pretend to stick the plastic swords through it."
"Pretend?"
"Yeah, the holes are all precut, so it only looks like you're sticking her with them."
"Oh," Maxie was examining Merlina. "You know, she's the best looking thing in the kit."
"Yeah." Andy stood up. "C'mon. Let's go play outside. I don't even want to look at this stupid thing anymore!"
Maxie set Merlina back in the box. "Ok, why don't we practice soccer?"
"Sounds good to me."