The Elevator Seventy-Eighth Floor (Patreon)

Cardonali the magical imp was doing what he always did, he caused  trouble to others for his own amusement. Cardonali had the ability to  put any thought into a person's mind and manipulate them as he wanted  to. He stood unobserved or at least unacknowledged in the back of an  elevator waiting to see who would get in.

"What's wrong, Mommy?" Robbie asked.

"I don't wanna go."

"You don't want to go to little league?"

"Yeah."

"But all your friends will be there they are counting on you."

"The coach never lets me play."

"I've seen you play.  I'm always in the stands."

"He doesn't let me play until the game is over.  When we are winning big or losing big.  It's not fair.  I wanna play more."

"I can speak to the coach if you want."

"No, don't do that.  The boys will  tease me if you talk to him."

"I won't do it in front of anyone."

"I don't care.  I don't want to go."

"But you made a commitment.  You have to play the entire season."

"I don't wanna."

"I suppose you don't want to go to boy scouts too?"

"I want to go there."

"Then you have to follow threw with little league."

"No I don't."

"Yes you do?"

"Why?"

"Because I said so.  Do you want me to give you a sp...?"

"No," Mommy cut Robbie off.  When Robbie pulled his hand back, Mommy raised her hands in surrender.  Then under her breath Mommy said "I wish you knew how I felt to be stuck on the bench all the time."

Robbie and his mother had had the exact same argument the week before.  But that time it was Robbie who was going to little league.  After Cardonali got involved their roles had reversed.

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Photo of woman  by (bottom) Francisco Rioseco , (top) Jeffrey F Lin on Unsplash