Beth was extremely unhappy celebrating her 40th birthday. When blowing out the candles on her cake, she wished to become younger. And her wish was apparently answered when she was invited to be a contestant on the new TV show "Who Wants to Be a Different Age?"

The show's rules were quite simple. A contestant had to answer a series of questions to win a minimum one in five chance to become one's dream age. The more questions answered correctly, the more chances one got. Answer all questions correctly and you would automatically become your dream ago on the show. Beth said she wanted to be 18 again.

On the show, Beth did well with the questions. What animal did Hannibal drive across the Alps? (Elephants) Which rock group had a hit with "Gemini Dream"? (The Moody Blues) Who was President when the first bathtub was installed in the White House? (Millard Fillmore) Which unsuccessful husband with big ears was born on November 14, 1948? (Prince Charles) But Beth finally missed a hard one. What was the first marketed video game? She said Breakout. The answer was Pong.

But Beth had won four of five chances to become 18. Five ages were inscribed on cards in envelopes. She would keep picking until she used all four chances. And she could stop and become the age on any card. But if she used all her chances, she would automatically become the age imprinted on the last card.

Beth picked her first card. It read 29. "I can do better," she said. The next was 10. "Too young," she said. The third read 65. "Too old," Beth shrieked. Only two cards remained, and one would make her 18. If she picked wrong, she would instantly become that other age. "I'll take the card on the right," Beth said. The host opened it and handed the number to Beth. It read 2, and Beth was immediately zapped to that age.

"Now what will become of me?" Beth stiffed as she stared at her much younger body and tugged at her only article of clothing ­ a diaper. "Follow me," said the host. Beth did, and found herself on the set of another program called "The Adoption Game," where married couples competed to win the approval of the studio audience, who would decide which couple would take home the cute child in the central playpen. At that moment, Beth felt like a prize patsy.


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