A Switching Tale

Once upon a time, in a bustling city, lived 11-year-old Ben and his 39-year-old mom, Melanie. They often visited the cosy and elaborate salon at the corner of their neighbourhood. Melanie was a regular at the salon, relishing her monthly pedicures and spa sessions. Ben, on the other hand, reluctantly accompanied his mother, often found himself in the colourful children's play section. One warm evening, while Melanie was getting her feet pampered, she noticed Ben's sullen face. She had never observed his lack of interest in their earlier spa sessions. Regarding her son, Melanie quizzically asked, "Are you alright, Ben?" With a sigh and the wave of a hand, Ben answered, "This salon and everything about it is... it's too dull and girly, Mom." His words struck Melanie hard, feeling offended, she resorted to some fabled words that she once heard from her grandmother. Those mystical words somehow caused a drowsiness to overcome Ben, and soon he was in deep slumber. As he drifted back to awareness, he heard a faint whisper, "Ma'am, are you okay? Our clients usually don't fall asleep in the chairs." Gradually his senses returned, and he felt the reality dawning on him. Glancing down, he saw the same salon-worker, who was previously pampering his mom, was now attending to him. A palpable dread engulfed him, even as he saw a reflection of his mother in the shiny footbath beside him. His heart pounded in his chest, and his breath caught. In a state of panic, realizing that he was in his mother's body and that his mother was in his, he pleaded to switch back. But the switch was not what Melanie expected, to her surprise, she found the idea of reliving her childhood quite appealing. With an impish smile, she said, "You know what? I actually like being a kid again. Embrace this new change, Ben." As she spoke, a flash appeared and morphed into a glowing orb that sporadically zapped memories of Melanie into Ben's mind. The salon-worker, who watched the dramatic scene unfold, finally asked, "Are you done now? Do you want any more services?" With a mix of trepidation and acceptance, Ben, in Melanie's body, replied, "I'd be thrilled for a lovely soak. And yes, could you remove the calluses on my bottom right foot, please?" Greedy for more, the salon-worker asked, "Would you like a pedicure?" Melanie, now in Ben's body, dared to reply, "I'd love me a pedicure. Make my feet look like a cutie patootie." The salon once filled with Ben's cries of protest, now echoed with chatter of beauty regimes and pedicure choices. Melanie grasped her newfound childhood with fervor, while Ben reluctantly started accepting his 'new' womanly life at the salon. The unexpected turn of events shoved both onto a roller-coaster ride they didn't realize they wanted but were bound to enjoy.