[ WP ] You 've been able to read minds since you turned 7 . Mostly you watch people 's thoughts passively and undetected but one day someone talks back .

Ever since I could remember, I've been different. But, until my 7th birthday party, I had never realized quite how different I was. 
 All my classmates were gathered at the park to celebrate my birthday. I always felt a little detached from them, but, I did n't know why. It came time to blow out the candles on the cake. 
 `` Make a wish!'' 
 I blew, thinking, `` I wish I could understand how they think of me.'' 
 Suddenly, though nobody was talking, I heard voices. 
 `` Why did I even have to come to this stupid party?'' 
 `` Blow faster! The ice cream cake is melting!'' 
 Pretty soon, I got a very good idea of what my classmates thought of me. At that point, I decided to study their thoughts, see what made them tick. I then began to hear adults' thoughts as well; I could never un-see what my parents were thinking in their room while I was trying to sleep. 
 
 Fast forward 20 years. 
 
 I'm working as a concierge in a Hilton in the Midwest. One day, the South African in room 1405 asks me to go out and buy a watch for his wife from the local jewelry store. I take my job as a concierge very seriously, and there was nobody else available, so I went myself. 
 When I got there, I went up to the well-dressed man at the counter. I said, `` Excuse me, sir. Could I look at your watches?'' 
 `` Most certainly.'' He unlocked the glass cabinet and took out several watches, saying, `` Do any of these strike your fancy, sir?'' 
 I said, `` Could I take a closer look at that one with the leather band and sapphire face, please?'' 
 He said, `` Certainly.'' He handed it to me, and I could hear him thinking, `` Like you could afford it.'' 
 Whatever, I was used to it by now. `` It is exquisite. How much is it?'' 
 `` $ 4500, sir.'' 
 Little do you know, I have an expense account. 
 But will it cover this, sir? 
 You... you can hear me? 
 Yes, I can. I am the Mind-spirit. I have awaited this day, ever since you were chosen at the age of 7 to be a Reader. You see, every century, the Creators of this world choose a human to be a Reader, in order to see how a person with such an extraordinary ability might change the world with their power. I came to your 7th birthday party, in the guise of a child, to grant you this power. The Creators have seen that, though you have held this power for 20 years, you have not done anything with it, but have only used it to manipulate others to serve your own petty desires. You have not been using it for its true purpose. Therefore, They have sent me to remove your mind. 
 Now, I shall leave you with only the intelligence of a 7-year-old child. 
 Farewell, sir.
