[ WP ] You live in a world where every person receives a superpower on their 18th birthday . You eagerly count down the seconds then shriek in horror as you are given a power no one would ever want to be stuck with .

*I had the chance to speak with Alonzo Rodriguez, the man famously known as the man with the `` most unusual superpower ever.'' Below is a slightly edited transcript. 
 
 MD: Good morning, Mr. Rodriguez. And happy birthday. 
 
 AR: Thank you. 
 
 MD: Today is your 98th birthday. 
 
 AR: Yup. 
 
 MD: That means it's been 80 years to the day since you received your power. 
 
 AR: 80 years. 
 
 MD: Tell us, what were you expecting on that 18th birthday? 
 
 AR: I was hoping to fly. My brother got flying, and I thought I would too. I hoped. 
 
 MD: What about your parents? 
 
 AR: My dad, he could talk to animals, but he died before my power day. My mom had strength, but she did n't use it much. 
 
 MD: I guess you never had to carry the groceries. 
 
 AR: No, she still made us carry groceries. She wanted us to grow to be good boys, and not rely on powers or other people. Independent, that's the way. 
 
 MD: Tell us, what was the reaction you had when your power came in. 
 
 AR: Well, I did n't know it was me for a little while. It flooded the gymnasium pretty quick. A couple of my classmates drowned, but there was nothing to do about it. I tried to help one feller but it made it worse. 
 
 MD: Was he a friend? 
 
 AR: He was a boy I knew since... 6th grade, or 8th grade, I ca n't remember. He was a nice boy. Always helping other people. 
 
 MD: Only one out of every 30 million people has a one of a kind power. Describe yours, for our readers who are n't aware of it. 
 
 AR: Water. Water comes down, it rains, but it's the water from underground that's the problem. It busts up through the floor and the ground, pretty hard. 
 
 MD: Tell us where you were living at the time. 
 
 AR: Back then I was in Portland, so there was a lot of water. I have a January birthday, so it was rainy anyway, but the water bust up and just soaked everything. It can come in pretty hard too, like a river. 
 
 MD: But it never hurts you. 
 
 AR: Just wet shoes. 
 
 MD: What happened after that day in the gym? 
 
 AR: I figured it was me because we all ran out of there, and the whole way home, water was coming up out of the ground, out of the water mains... 
 
 MD: I have some archived articles that say that you caused over $ 250 million dolalrs worth of damage. 
 
 AR: That's about right. I felt bad but you know, there's no way to turn it off. 
 
 MD: You endured death threats. 
 
 AR: No one really blamed me, they just figured it would n't work out. 
 
 MD: How did you escape? 
 
 AR: Well, I'm ok if I'm in a helicopter or an airplane. It's too high I guess. But as soon as it touches down, it happens again. 
 
 MD: Tell us about your home now. 
 
 AR: Well, after that first day, they picked me up and flew me out to a boat. I have to stay on the ocean in deep water. There's a lot of stirring in the water, and I guess it makes some holes in the bottom of the ocean, so I have to be careful there, too. 
 
 MD: You have turned a curse into a gift, I understand. 
 
 AR: I hope so. 
 
 MD: Tell us about that. 
 
 AR: Some folks do n't have water, so they fly me out, and can usually get'em some. 
 
 MD: That's been your full time job. 
 
 AR: Yup. Standin' there. 
 
 MD: Any regrets? 
 
 AR:.... I never had a family. But no, I guess you get what you get. 
 
 MD: Thank you for your time. 
 
 *Mr. Rodriguez has helped irrigate over 12 million acres over the course of his lifetime, and saved the lives of hundreds of millions of people. *
