After a couple of hours everyone was ready to go home. Michael and Jamie had become friends at the park, Jamie’s fears were eased by the new bond he had formed with his son. They all got into the mini van and proceeded towards home with a quick stop at the store for ice cream. Michael and Mary were both excited at the announcement but Jamie was less enthused about the treat. Mary got a Fudge-sickle while Michael and Jamie picked ice cream sandwiches. As Jamie bit into the ice cream the flavours jumped in his mouth. He hadn’t noticed until now that his tastes were changing. After arriving back at the house they all went inside. Mary was immediately sent upstairs for a nap while Michael went to use the Play station and Jamie went into his old study to contemplate what to do next.
Sunday morning not much had changed, Jamie was still regressing and now it looked like he was 9 or 10 years old. His voice was beginning to change becoming higher pitched. As he inspected his body he noticed all the hair was gone except for his head. He knew puberty had passed him by and for the first time he recognized he really was a child, not an adult nor a teenager but a child. No longer could he drive, work or even have a beer. Jamie dreaded the day ahead of him. He walked over to a doorway, stood with his back to the frame and with a pencil drew a line at the top of his head
By dinner hour Jamie was sure he had lost more height. He sat beside his son and was sure Michael was now a couple of inches taller. He had stayed clear of Michael all day but now he couldn’t avoid the obvious. “So how you feeling squirt?” Michael joked at Jamie’s condition. “I’m not a squirt! I’ll show you.” Marjorie jumped in to stop the fight before it started. “All right you two, that is enough you will both be quiet! Anymore and you will both be sent to your room.”
“But I don’t have a room anymore?” Jamie responded in a sarcastic tone. “I said BE QUIET!” With that the dinner table became dead silent. Once the family had finished their meal, Marjorie made Michael and Jamie clean up the dishes while she and Sheila went upstairs. Jamie walked into the living room, where Michael was looking through his Play station collection. He jumped on the couch and turned the TV to the evening news. “Hey I was going to play video games.” Jamie looked at him and smiled. “First come first gets the TV.” With that statement Michael got up and walked over wrestled his father for the remote.
“Give that to me now.” Screamed Michael, “No its mine! I wanna watch the news!” Jamie yells back as they roll off the couch knocking over a vase causing it to shatter as it hit the floor.
“That’s it!” yells Marjorie who came downstairs to see what was going on. “Michael started it, it’s his fault!” Jamie blurted out as Marjorie walked into the room. “I don’t care who started it but both of you come with me.” With that she grabbed both boys by the hand and marched them upstairs to Michael’s bedroom. I’ve had it, both of you can go to bed right now, pointing to the door.
“But I don’t have a room.” Jamie retorted. “You do now, Sheila and I moved the old spare cot into Michael’s room, you two are going to share the room. Is that understood?” Michael looked up at his mother, “But that is MY room, I don’t want to share it with a little kid.”
Jamie flew into a temper tantrum. “I’m not LITTLE!” Before Jamie could continue Marjorie shut him down “I don’t want to hear it okay. The two of you are roommates so get used to it. I want the two of you to get ready for bed now and no more fighting.” Before Marjorie got down the stairs the Jamie began to plead. “Honey, please don’t do this to me. I’m 40, I’m your husband. Don’t make me go to bed now.” Marjorie stopped and turned around. Veins were bulging in her forehead, last time Jamie saw this she gave Michael a huge spanking. Jamie immediately retreated into Michael’s bedroom and closed the door.
Jamie turned around to find Michael standing behind him. “Listen Squirt this is my room and everything in here is MINE and that includes your bed.” Jamie couldn’t believe what had transpired, he had to sleep with his son but he wouldn’t live by his son’s rules. Jamie growled back “I don’t have to take this, who do you think you are? I’m the older one you will listen to me!” Jamie was getting very frustrated and found it hard control himself otherwise he would not have pushed the issue with Michael so far. Michael was bigger than Jamie and could probably take Jamie if it got physical but he didn’t care, he was tired of being pushed around and he was tired of being small.
Jamie took a swing at Michael but his new uncoordinated body missed wildly. Michael grabbed the diminutive form and put him in a headlock and switched between noogies and wet willies. “Who is the big kid? Who is the older one? Come on say it.”
After struggling hopelessly for five minutes. Jamie’s head was hurting from the noogies and was utterly humiliated from the wet willies. Finally Jamie relented and with a sobbing voice he begged Michael to stop. “Please stop! You are bigger and you are the oldest in the room. Please stop! I give up you are older.” With that Michael let go, leaving Jamie sobbing beside his bed. He crawled into bed without saying a word and cried himself asleep.