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Speaker 1: Maxwell Carter had wanted a magic wand for as long

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as he could remember. Not the kind that came in

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a plastic costume kit, not the kind with cheap glitter

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that fell off and got stuck in the carpet forever.

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Mom hated those wands. No, Maxwell wanted a real wand,

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a one that could turn frogs into princes, make cookies appear,

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or at the very least help him finish his math

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homework faster. One afternoon, he saw an advertisement in the

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back of a comic book. Mail order magic wand guaranteed

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authentic results may vary. Maxwell stared at the picture. The

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wand was long and twisty and had a glowing crystal

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on the end. Ah, that's it, he said. Any wand

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with a glowing crystal at the end must be real magic.

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He thought this was true because he'd seen it so

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many times on TV. He ran into the kitchen where

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his mom was making sandwiches. Mom, Maxwell said, can I

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order something extremely magical? His mum looked up, m is

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it another slime kit? No, Maxwell said, it's a wand.

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His mum raised an eyebrow. A wand. I hope it's

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not one of those cheap glitter. No, mom, he said,

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interrupting her. This wand is a real one. She looked

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at the ad. It promised mystical power, surprising effects, and

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no refunds under any circumstances. She frowned. Hmm, that last

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part is suspicious, she said. Maxwell gave his best hopeful face.

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Please look, there is not one flecker of glitter on it.

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His mom sighed the sigh of someone who knows this

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will probably end with glitter everywhere. Oh fine, she said,

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but if it turns the cat purple, that's your responsibility.

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Three weeks later, a small package arrived in the mailbox.

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Maxwell tore it.

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Speaker 2: Here the rest of this story and our entire back

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Speaker 1: See you there,