It's not like you've got anything better to do.

I throw my bag back over my shoulder as my curiosity gets the better of me. I quickly move across the street, stopping in front of the old shop's door. I turn and listen for the bus one more time. With no sound of any cars on the road, I open the door and step inside.

The inside of this place is something out of a fantasy. I was right in calling it an antique shop, but everything has a magical quality to it. The walls are lined with shelves, filled with all sorts of knickknacks and trinkets, each more odd than the last. There are books that look like old tomes, strange vials containing liquids of various colors, and even a couple exotic-looking plants. I don't see anyone in the shop, but I'm so fascinated by everything here that I'm not sure if I would notice another person.

After walking around for a few minutes, one item in particular catches my eye. Not one of the giant chests filled with who knows what or any of the sparkling gems lined up on a nearby shelf. For some reason, my eyes settle on a small, unassuming remote.

The remote looks like some piece of retro tech that hasn't been used in decades. The thing is a washed-out grey color and looks just barely small enough to fit in someone's pocket. There's an extendable antennae sticking out of the top of it and a small screen on the remote's face. Under the screen are two buttons, large and prominent, one green and one red.

What is this thing? It's not like any remote I've ever seen. I mean, what kind of remote only has two buttons. Maybe it's an old game? But then what's with the antennae?

"I see you've found something that has piqued your interest. You certainly have a good eye to notice that item in particular," I hear a voice chuckle from behind me.

I jump slightly and spin around to find a woman standing behind me. She's a bit old looking, with pale, wrinkled skin and grey hair pulled behind her head, but she's standing up straight and her eyes are alert, indicating that she still has quite a bit of life to her. She's also wearing an antique dress that looks like it was hand sewn. After a brief moment of getting my bearings, I meet her gaze.

I have a bunch of questions about who this woman is and where she came from, but I don't want to overwhelm her, so I decide to just respond to what she said.

"This thing? What’s so special about it?"

I pick up the device as I speak, flipping it over in my hand to examine it closer.

"That is the Random Remote. It has the power to... change people. A perfect little device for someone who wants to spice up their life," the old woman responds.

"Change people? What does that mean?"

"All you have to do is point the remote at someone and press the green button to lock-on to them. Then press the red button and see what happens."

That's an incredibly vague explanation. So what, this thing has the power to transform people or something? Yeah, right. I said this place felt somewhat magical, but not that magical.

"Can't you be a bit more specific? How does it work? Is there some kind of limit to what it can do?"

"I think those questions are best answered by using the remote. It's more fun that way. That is, if you're interested..."

Great. I'm dealing with the classic mysterious shopkeeper. This would normally be the point that I would ask who she is or what kind of shop she's running, but I already know I'll get some dumb answer like "Who I am is not important. What's important is what I can do for you," or some crap like that. Instead I just ask how much she is expecting for this "Random Remote." Honestly, she's surprisingly reasonable with her price given what she just told me about it. It makes me wonder if this whole place is just some elaborate setup for an old lady to sell some of her old junk.

After some thought, I feel a bit generous. This woman is putting so much effort into this store and the story behind the remote was at least engaging, it makes me want to help her out. And with a price so low, it doesn't really bother me to buy the device from her. If nothing else, it was an entertaining way to waste time waiting for the bus.

"An excellent choice. I'm sure you won't regret it. May good luck be with you when you use it," she says with a smile.

As a slip the remote in my pocket, I notice the bus is about to pull up to the bus stop, so I quickly thank the woman and head for the door. As I run to catch the bus, I hear her call out to me one more time.

"Oh, one more thing: you can only use the remote on a person once! So be careful! Once you change someone, you can't go back!"

I fly through the door and back across the street just as the bus pulls in. I get on and pull the remote out one more time. As the bus begins to drive away, I imagine just how cool it would be if a device like the Random Remote really existed. Life would certainly be more interesting if you could change people with the press of a button.