Spells are us

Georg was working through the mall. No, he corrected himself, walking. Although he lived for ten years in the states now. No, although he lived in the states for ten years now he still has problems with the Englisch - English. Damn it. If he could not even think properly how should he teach his son the language.

Since his wife had left him some months ago he struggled to keep up with the teachings and homework of his 6 year old son. Writing, counting and simple arithmetic was no problem at all, but how to teach a language other than German was a mystery to him. German was easy. Most words were written as pronounced and pronounced as written. He could speak English sufficiently enough for daily use and work, but with the spelling and pronunciation he had to fight.

His wife had been almost as good as a native speaker. Thus, soon he had become lazy and relied on her when it came to official communication and stuff like that. Now she was gone - off with a new love and neither Georg nor Tommy, their son, fitted into her new phase of life.

Georg was on his way to the toy store hoping to find some educational game or something to playfully teach his son the language. His train of thought was interrupted when he bumped into a man crossing his way. Startled he looked up, excused himself and then looked around for where the man had come from.

Where there had been a plain wall between the food arcade and the pharmacy before, there was a small shop now. It looked a bit out of place in this modern mall. Its storefront was more like one of those little shops in the small towns of mediaeval origin in Europe or maybe out of Harry Potter movies. Along the window he read "Spell" and below a strangely long list of articles in small print followed by a little bigger "We have something for everyone and things you're looking for".

"Strange!", he thought. "A shop for spelling, when I was looking for something to teach spelling."

He turned around and entered the store through the still open door. It closed behind him automatically. Had the door been closed before, he would have read the "s 'R' us" and "ward to or should" below completing the texts of the window. Oblivious to this he proceeded further into the store.

It looked more like an antique market or junk shop. The shelves stuffed over and over with this and that, almost no space to walk between left and no scheme or categorisation obvious. Ignoring that strangeness and the lack of educational material he went to the counter. Out of nowhere - at least it appeared to him that way - an old bearded man appeared behind the counter.

"Must have been blocked from view by the big counter", Georg thought.

The old man just smiled and said: "Welcome George!"

"It's Georg. 'gay-org' actually. Hmmm, but George is okay, if it's easier for you.", Georg answered completely missing the point, he hadn't told the man in the old, faded bath robe his name nor did he wear anything with his name on it.

"I'm looking for something to teach spelling. Ehm, to learn how to spell uhm to a six year old?"

The old man smiled and answered: "I understand. I think I have just the right thing for you."

With that he pulled a little cardboard box from underneath the counter. It pictured a boy and a girl, both laughing, holding square formatted cards in their hands showing single words and a corresponding picture. Above it read "The Spell Game". "From 6 to 99 years" was the only other text visible. The box looked a bit worn and old already. Still it looked like something useful.

"How much would it cost?", asked Georg.

With his enigmatic smile barely hidden by his long grey beard the old man answered: "Oh, just 8 dollars. It is a bit worn already."

Georg opened his wallet and since he didn't use much cash these days found just 8 dollars in it. Exactly 8 dollars! Still too focused on the unexpected finding of such a helpful game Georg didn't care about the coins matching the amount requested. He payed, took the game and left the shop happy after thanking the old man.

"Enjoy!", called the wizard to the exiting Georg barely able to contain his laughter from escaping his lips.

____________

Tommy and Georg sat at the kitchen table. They had finished dinner and cleared the table. Now Georg opened the box. It contained six piles of picture cards. Tommy took the first one and looked at the picture and the text below.

"A P P L E. Apple!", Tommy read excited and grapped the next one.
"B A L L. Ball."
"C A T. Cat"
"D R E S S. Dress." Oblivious to Georg and Tommy a kitty chased a ball from under the table into the hallway. The ball had been an apple moments before the cat hit it with its tiny paw. Before that the apple and the cat had been Tommy's left and right slipper. Georg and Tommy also failed to notice, when Tommy's shirt and trousers became a frilly colorful dress.

The next card read: "F L A T SHOES. Flat shoes" and while pink ballerina shoes materialised at Tommy's feet he continued with: "G I R L. Girl"

Tammy brushed her long blonde curly locks behind her ear to look at the next word. "H O S I E R Y. Hosiery" Now that was a difficult one and it took Tammy a few tries, but only when daddy helped her she managed it flawlessly. Daddy had to show her his nylon-clad feet to make her understand that not only her white cotton hose was meant by this word.

He could snatch the next card just in time while Tammy compared her hose with his nylon stockings. He wondered why a game for kids would contain a card like "Intimate shaving". Not that he didn't like the cute rose design shaved neatly into his pubic hair right above little Georg, but that wasn't something Tammy should learn existed for the next 20 to 30 years if ever.

"J E W E L L E R Y. Jewellery" they had to read together again. Georg wondered once more if those words weren't a bit too complicated for a six year old. Nevertheless, he showed Tammy his dangling teardrop shaped diamond earrings and his big diamond engagement ring. Then he pointed at her pink butterfly earstuds and her pink butterfly ring.

"K N I C K E R S. Knickers", read Tammy.

"'nee-kers'", snickered Georg while his boxers transformed into soft women's silk-panties and Tammy's boy briefs into cotton panties with Minnie Mouse print. "We say rather panties, sweetie."

"L I P S T I C K. Lipstick", beamed Tammy, when Georg repeated it, too. While Tammy's was pink and just an exception for today's trip together, Georg had 'chosen' a deep red colour and to be on the safe side a kiss-proof one.

Tammy looked into her daddy's eyes after she had read the next card and squeaked: "Mommy!!! "