"I wish I had a device that allows me to add experiences to or subtract experiences from the person I target with it. Also, I wish that the device has a vocal interface, so that when I say the words 'you know how to' followed by an experience, the device will add that experience when triggered, and when I say the words 'you don't know how to' followed by an experience, the device will subtract that experience when triggered."
After Jon laid out those two long wishes, an odd-looking gun appeared on his bed. It looked like something out of an old sci-fi movie. He picked it up and looked at it. On the side of it, there was a small embedded mic.
"What exactly does it do again?" Karyn asked.
"Well," Jon explained. "It allows me to alter the experiences of whomever I shoot with it. It's kind of like that instant-experience thing from the Matrix movies. Remember that?"
"Isn't that kind of dangerous? What if someone takes it and makes you forget how to do something important?"
"Karyn, you worry too much. I'm gonna have this thing with me all the time."
"Yeah, I guess you're right. But maybe you should make a wish just in case."
"In a minute. First I want to try it out." He aimed the gun at Karyn.
"Wait, what are you doing?"
He spoke into the device. "You don't know how to stand." Then he pulled the trigger and Karyn was hit with a dazzling beam of gold light.
Suddenly, Karyn collapsed to the ground with a thud. "Ow!"
"Sorry, I didn't think you'd just fall to the ground like that."
Karyn's eyes went wide. "I don't ... I don't know how to stand!" She crawled across the floor, like a baby, then stopped next to Jon's bed. "Jon, please. I don't want to stay like this."
"It's only a test, Karyn. I wasn't going to keep you like this." He leaned in towards the device again and said "You know how to stand." He then blasted her with it again, seeing the same dazzling gold light from before. He looked at Karyn. "Stand up."
Karyn was hesitant, like she still didn't know how to do it, but then she stood up with ease. "I never want to go through that again."
"And you won't. But just imagine what we could do with this thing. We could totally embarrass people. Like make Sarah McMillan lose all of her experience of cheerleading or make Biff Meadows lose all of his experience of playing football. It would ruin their image. Plus, we could gain experience for ourselves. Ever wanted to fly a plane? Or to cook like a professional chef?"
"Okay, I got it," Karyn said. "I'm sold. But don't you ever take away any of my experiences."
"Okay. I promise," Jon said. "So, what should we do first? Give ourselves experiences or take other people's away?"
