“You do it,” Joy tells Charlie and gives him the large iron key.
Charlie takes it with reverence. He puts it in the lock of the iron bar door and twists it.
It twists and his jaw drops. “It’s easy to open!”
“Now open the door,” Joy tells him.
Charlie opens the door.
I look at Justin, who has his arms crossed, and is smiling at this exchange like a proud father.
“Lead them in,” Joy tells him.
Charlie hesitates.
“They won’t fight,” Joy reassures him.
Charlie looks at the shackled Martian Space Pirates. “Get in,” he musters some authority. Then, he ends it with, “Please.”
The space pirates walk slowly in, heads bowed meekly.
Once they’re in, Charlie shuts the iron bar door on them and locks it as quickly as possible.
He takes the key out and shouts, “Yes! I’m a warrior! I caught you! And I put you in jail! I’m a warrior! A warrior!”
Joy leads Charlie back out and shows him how to hang the key back on the nail in the wall. Justin stays behind. He waves his hand and the pirates’ shackles disappear.
He turns to me and whispers, “Dad, I think I’m raising two kids now.”
—Told by Grampa Walt