On the first day of summer Paul and Karen told Simon that they would be taking a vacation to California to visit Paul's parents. They lived in an apartment in San Francisco so they could have lots of things to see and do. It was the first time Simon had flown in a plane and he was thrilled by it. He loved the feeling, sort of a rush, he got when the plane lifted off and the earth fell away beneath him. He also liked the movie and even thought the food was good.
Paul's parents were elderly, or at least they seemed so to a ten-year-old. Actually, they were in their early fifties and in pretty good shape. They led active lifestyles and knew where to go to have fun so Simon got to see the cable cars, the ocean (which took his breath away with wonder), the Golden Gate bridge and lots of big buildings.
On the third night they were there Simon had that funny feeling, he felt an urge to go out. It was late and everyone was in bed but he was able to get dressed, quietly open his door and slip out and down the elevator.
He wandered the streets alone but unafraid. Even at night the streets were busy and several people stared at him. He stopped at the entrance to an alley and stood for a bit in the darkness waiting for his instincts to guide him. When he felt the call he strolled a few blocks over to the main street. There were all sorts of people walking up and down the street. Most people didn't seem to notice him, their eyes just went right past him, but a few looked at him with curiosity and several people emitted a sense of darkness that Simon felt from half a block away.
A large car came along and slowed down when it got to him. The window rolled down and a man said, "Hey, kid, nice night, huh? Need a ride? Hop in."
"No, thank you."
"You're cute. What's your price?"
"I'm not for sale and you shouldn't be doing this. Go home."
"Aw, screw you, kid." The car drove on up the street and pulled up beside a group of three young teenaged boys. Somehow Simon knew that they were living on the streets and making money by selling their bodies to old men.
One boy leaned in the window and was talking to the man but when he reached for the door handle to get in the car Simon whispered, "Lojigonia d'evis," and the door handle seemed to stick and wouldn't open. The boy tugged on it for a moment or two while the man tried to open it from inside but it wouldn't budge. The other boys all began laughing and the frustrated man started to drive away. He hit the gas and his tires squealed. He only went a few feet when the car lurched violently as all four tires went flat at the same time and thick smoke began to pour from under the hood. The man jumped out and watched in amazement as his car began to burn.
This made the boys laugh even harder as they watched and jeered. The boys wandered on up the street, still laughing, so Simon followed them. He saw a large church just ahead and the lights were on inside and the doors were open. He smiled and said, "Stavenzio hoducium." The boys stopped in front of the church, staring at the doors and the beckoning light. They looked at each other and talked among themselves for a few minutes. As if reaching a decision they went inside. Simon knew that now they would get help and get off the streets.
He became aware that someone was waiting for him up ahead. Two tough looking men were hiding in an alley and watching him approach. When he got near them he whispered, "Nostilisium" and stepped to the side. The guys stepped out of the darkness and said, "Hey, where'd he go? Damn punk bitch. He was just right here. Shit. The little fucker. Denny said he been lookin' fo a kid like dat. Shit man, kid like dat worth a couple grand."
They couldn't see the boy standing against the wall a few feet away but they continued to look around for a minute or two, cussing the whole time. Simon, now invisible, walked away, but before he left he whispered a little something and both men suddenly stopped and looked around as if they didn't know where they were. In a daze, each one wandered off in a different direction. Simon knew that the temporary amnesia he had induced would last for a couple of weeks, just long enough for them to be in trouble with the drug people they worked for. When they failed to turn in the money they had made it would result in some unfortunate consequences for them.
He went home smiling. He didn't know that he could do that invisibility trick, but it would come in handy in the days ahead.
That was not the only incident that occurred on the trip. On the evening before they were set to leave Simon felt himself drawn to an apartment just down the hall and he listened at the door for a minute. He could hear voices coming from inside. It was a man and a young boy, his nephew. The man was saying, "But you're so pretty. Come on, let me do it again. You liked it the last time didn't you?"
"No, it hurt. I don't like it."
"I'll be gentle this time, I promise. Here now, let's get those pajamas off."
Simon didn't need to see to know what was going on inside that house. An image flashed in his mind, a picture of a fat man holding down a small, half naked boy. Simon felt an immediate sympathy for the boy and disgust for the man. "Ubrectiellin poncimo!" he said.
Suddenly, screams came from inside the apartment. "Aw hell! Shit, oh Goddammit, it hurts! Oh God, damn, damn, damn! Call an ambulance Jeff. Hurry, I'm dying here! Oh Christ how it hurts!" The man was writhing in pain on the floor clutching his testicles which were suddenly swollen beyond belief and looked as if they might explode. Simon went back to his apartment, satisfied.
Some of the neighbors heard the noise and called the police and an ambulance. The man cried all the way to the hospital where a surgeon had to remove the engorged organs. Because blood flow had been shut off to his penis it was turning black and the surgeon had to remove it as well. He would be no more danger to his nephew or any of the other children.
Back home Simon had an idea one day to make himself a superhero costume but he didn't know how to sew. Then, when he thought about it for awhile he realized it was a childish idea so instead he took a black marker and carefully drew a pair of scales on a white tee shirt; the sort of scales that the statue of blindfolded Justice was holding down at the courthouse. Only he knew what it meant and he could wear it under his shirt when he went on patrol.