I hereby declare: "You are a superhero!"

This is an article that I tore out of the Tribune a couple years ago, from the Q section (by Barbara Mahany):

In the category Never Underestimate the Powers of a Wand (Or a Cape, for That Matter) comes this magical tale, courtesy of Sandra Soss, proprietor of Sweet Pea, a North Side toy and book shop:

Not long ago, as Soss was winding down her day, in walked a yong man just itching to tell her what had unfolded in front of her store, at 3447 N. Southport Ave. [I don't know if this store is still up and running], a few mornings earlier.

He was strolling by when out the door bounded a young boy sporting a cape and a wand. When the man stopped to admire him, the boy looked up and asked whether the man would care to become a superhero.

"Why, yes," answered the man, "I've always wanted to be a superhero!" So the boy tapped him with the wand and pronounced, "You're a superhero!"

"Can I fly?" asked the man.

Disappointed, the boy sighed. "No, not that kind of superhero."

When the man wondered aloud just what kind of powers he now had, the boy answered: "Everything you enjoy doing, you can now do faster and better. And you will be braver and stronger."

"And," the boy added, clearly delivering the prize, "you can make other people superheros."

As the man finished his tale and turned to leave, he tossed Soss one parting thought: "By the way, you're a superhero."

Said Soss, "I've been feeling braver and stronger ever since."