Universal Controller

Photo by: Al Forbes

Corwin regretted hosting the party. He couldn’t honestly afford it on his Chinese food deliveryman salary. And then of course, he had to clean up in the morning.

That’s when he found the red cellphone on the floor. He couldn’t figure out who owned it. It displayed a language he’d never seen before. Add to his woes, the football game he wanted to see wasn’t televised. While holding the phone he said, “I wish that game was on.”

*poof*

The game appeared on his TV.

Elated, he decided to run for beer. Unfortunately, he’d locked his keys in his car. “I need my car!” he shouted, still holding the strange phone.

*poof*

The car unlocked itself.

Staring at the alleged “phone,” he started getting ideas. At the convenience store, he bought a stack of scratcher lottery cards. He walked out $3,337,000 richer, with a six pack. Days later, he won over $300,000,000 in the state lottery.

Corwin’s life changed overnight. But now that he was rich, things were suddenly too easy. He missed the challenge of life. Corwin started getting more ideas about his red “controller.”

On the TV at Danny’s Pub the anchorman said, “They said it couldn’t be done, but believe it, there is peace in the Middle-east. Former President Putin’s body still cannot be found. Moderate, Pyotr Yevenko has taken his place. The second Iranian revolution is over. The Khomenei’s have been overthrown…”

***

Alien commander, Vikari stood on the starship’s bridge and watched the Earth transmissions. “Obviously, Agent Thorn was overwhelmed by an immensely powerful force.”

***

At Danny’s Pub, the incredibly thin man slurred, “More whiskey! I’m a secret agent, you know.”

“Uh huh,” sighed the barkeep.

“Now I know why you Humans love alcohol so much!”

***

“Now that the Humans have the Universal Controller and progress towards world peace, they’ll soon expand into space,” groaned Vikari. “Their cleverness could prove a threat to our glorious leader’s totalitarian empire.”

“Not to worry!” said the alien scientist. “The Universal Controller requires immense power to charge. A Human can’t just plug it into a wall socket. It will soon be useless!”

***

Corwin held the controller as he made his request, and got the answer he wanted.

“Why sure!” said Arthur, the nuclear plant manager. “I can direct our entire output to anything you want.”
______________________________________
Written for Sunday Photo Fiction: https://sundayphotofictioner.wordpress.com/2017/05/07/sunday-photo-fiction-may-7th-2017/