"Hey, Chelsea! It's me," said the squeaky voice on the telephone. "Who?" replied Chelsea. "Me! Meryl!" the voice said. "You don't sound like yourself," Chelsea noted. "That's because I found a way so I don't have to turn myself in to authorities tomorrow to begin that 10-year jail sentence for embezzling my employer," Meryl said with obvious glee. "But how?" Chelsea sputtered into her phone.

"I met this gypsy women with mystical powers who promised to change me so I won't have to go to jail. She lit all sorts of candles, sprayed me with a liquid reeking of lilac, and chanted in a language I couldn't understand. I began to shrink until my clothes hung limp on my frame. I then found she turned me into a 10-year-old girl. Perfect! They don't send little girls to prison. And since they'll be looking for the 38-year-old me, the authorities will think I vanished when in reality, I'm back at my apartment," Meryl said.

Meryl chuckled loudly, "That spell was so complete, my bedroom now looks like a girl's room. It's full of stuffed animals and dolls. And the closet is full of girl's clothing. Ha! No problem. Now I can buy a week's worth of underwear for what I paid for one bra. So I'll stay here instead of going to jail, where they'd schedule my life from morning to night. Better to be a girl. Now I won't have anyone controlling my life. Never!

"Hey, wait a minute. Some strange woman has entered my room," Meryl said, suddenly sounding nervous. "I'll strange woman you! That's no way to talk of your mother. Now why aren't you doing your homework?" the woman could be heard in the background. "I have no homework," Meryl replied in a breaking voice. "Oh yes you do. Is it any wonder you're close to flunking fourth grade," the woman said. "But, but..." Meryl protested. "That's it! Your phone privileges are revoked. Now get off the phone and get cracking on your homework NOW, so you'll be done in time to go to bed at a reasonable hour. Ms. Donaldson complained again today about how you doze off in class," the woman added.

"But, but..." Meryl whined as Chelsea heard the phone disconnect. And she never heard from Meryl again.


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