What if you could fly or travel back in time?
We welcome you to What If World.
Hey there folks, and welcome back to What If World, the show where your questions and ideas inspire off-the-cuff stories.
I'm Mr. Eric, your host, and today we're starting off with a question from a listener named Addie.
Hi, my name is Addie.
I'm seven years old.
I live in St.
Louis Missouri, and my What If?
Question is what if everything in What If World turned into dessert?
Addie!
Thank you very much.
Many of you are probably out there saying I asked a very similar question about dessert or ice cream or candy, and I want to thank all of you.
Now, what makes today's story rather unique isn't just Addy's question, but the fact that our patron Nyara, wrote her own story to answer it.
Yes, indeed.
On our bonus show for supporters.
Stump, Mr Eric, we sometimes end with a challenge for the listeners.
We share a question that we have not yet had the chance to answer and give you the chance to come up with your own story.
To be honest, we didn't get a lot of stories.
Unless you count all the stories we got from Nyara.
Addie, thank you for your question.
Nyara, thank you for your answer.
At least 90 to 95% of this narration is straight up Nyara's.
I've added a few embellishments and, of course, the What If characters speak up from time to time.
I just can't stop them from doing it.
So let's get started by answering Addy's question.
What if everything in, What If World turned into dessert?
In this short story masterpiece, authored by Nayara, I hope you all enjoy.
Grownups.
If you're looking for a way to make bedtime, car rides and travel more enjoyable for your kids, you've got to check out Yoto, our favorite screen-free listening device.
It has totally transformed our routine, and we've just released three Yoto cards for all of you.
All ad-free and remastered, putting your kids in control.
Whether you pick our best of stories, our meditations or our original Guilds and Goblins campaign, our Yoto cards are packed with adventures and calming stories that spark imagination and help kids wind down after a busy day.
So give the gift of What If and support our show this holiday season.
Head to whatifworldpodcast.com slash yoto.
That's whatifworldpodcast.com slash yoto.
There has not been an episode featuring Wendy Anna Jones' time-traveling sisters in a long time.
And it's about time to fix that.
I agree, Mr. Eric.
Sheesh, Anna, I haven't even gotten to introduce you yet.
Well then, go ahead and do it.
What are you waiting for?
All right, Anna.
Give Mr. Eric a break.
Too many characters like to sass him.
Don't add us to the list.
Thank you, Wendy.
But you also prolonged my narration, therefore... You know what?
Let's just move on.
Thank you.
Anyways, the three Wendy Ann are Wendy the past, Wendy Anna who's a school teacher and secret inventor and explorer.
Anna, the present Wendy Anna, who keeps interrupting me.
And you keep not getting to the story.
And finally, Dr. Joan, the future Wendy Anna.
And a brilliant inventor as well.
Brilliant enough not to interrupt me.
Not to mention a time-traveling explorer.
It was the what-if-ian holiday...
Trick and treat instead of eat day.
First introduced in episode 183, Zero Fair Investigations, and never mentioned afterwards.
And Dr. Joan had a strong craving for dessert.
Specifically, chocolate.
But not just any chocolate.
Not just the basic bar you could buy at any corner.
No, Joan was craving the kind that is made from milk.
From happy Swiss cows who eat herbs from the mountains and live in wide expanse of beautiful pastures.
Joan wanted good, fancy chocolate.
And to get that, she needed to go to Switzerland.
A quick aside to note that many different countries most assuredly make delicious chocolate.
We'll leave our P.O. box in the show notes in case you want to mail us some.
So Dr Joan booked a flight to Zurich, then immediately traveled forward in time to when she had already gotten off the plane.
Wait, what?
Don't think about it too hard, Mr. Eric.
It'll give you a headache.
Should I also not think about how the three of you have pretty different voices despite being essentially the same person?
Almost definitely not.
Okay.
Dr Joan looked around the Zurich airport, marveling at the many stores and searching for just the right one.
There.
In that glass room.
A chocolate store.
How interesting.
It looks like a miniature building.
Cool, Joan said, pointing to what indeed looked like a little building within the airport.
Dr Joan and the Learninator stepped inside the store and saw all the many boxes of chocolate in the glass case, as well as macarons and even enormous slabs of chocolate.
Hello, the woman at the counter said, greeting them in German.
Hello.
We would like to try the best chocolate in Switzerland.
What would you suggest?
Dr. Joan asked.
The woman laughed.
Well, to start anything in here.
But would you like to try a chocolate macaron made from real Swiss chocolate?
She said, luckily speaking English.
Yes, please, the Learninator cut in.
I need chocolate now.
The woman used a pair of tweezers to pick up a chocolate macaron from the tower in the display case and handed it to the robot on a napkin.
The Learninator devoured it and then frowned.
Only a nine out of ten on my deliciousness meter.
Not good enough, he said, turning to march out the door.
Come on, we shall find a better store.
The cashier, quick as lightning, rushed to block the door.
Not good enough.
No one ever, ever says that about our chocolate.
Your comment was not good enough.
Try again, she said threateningly.
The Learninator blinked at her, having just installed robotic metal eyelids.
I don't think I made myself clear, the woman said in a dangerous tone.
I am Sarah, the wizard. and I am specialized in cursing people who insult my chocolate.
Sarah hissed dangerously, wielding a wand.
That was when Dr. Joan stepped in.
Our apologies, Sarah.
I am Dr. Joan, and this is the Learninator.
He may be specialized in learning, but he isn't very specialized in learning manners.
Joan gave a nervous laugh.
Now we will leave your store and not bother you anymore.
No need to curse us.
But this, unfortunately, ticked Sarah off even more.
You're saying that our chocolate is not good enough to buy anything from our store?
That's it.
I must curse you!
Sarah waved her wand, and canting, This robot has been rude.
His manners are crude.
So turn one-third of the world into chocolate, but a sword.
And with this short and sort of rhyming curse, All the air in the world turned into swirled chocolate.
Oh, no, Dr. Jones said.
We just have to travel back in time and stop this from happening, Learninator.
Aye, aye.
The robot grabbed Wendy, Anna and just as he whisked them away, every bit of water in the world turned into ice cream and all the land turned into pastries.
This caused the Learninator to accidentally take them to the present Wendy and his time, where Anna and Wendy already were.
Wendy, Anna, what are you doing here?
Joan asked, looking around to see that her sisters were bicycling on Anna's tandem bike, to get away from an angry-looking shopkeeper chasing after them.
Hop on and I'll explain.
Anna cried.
So Dr. Joan pedaled on a third seat that seemed to grow out of the bike.
The future Learninator used his robo-transforming powers, installed at the same time as the eyelids, to turn into a cute little toy-sized robot as he jumped in the back basket along with his brother.
The past Learninator.
The present Learninator, of course, was the bicycle itself.
Once the six of them could no longer see the shopkeeper Wendy, Anna and Joan stopped pedaling, gasping for breath.
It wasn't easy to breathe chocolate air, even for an imaginary person.
And pedaling like your life depended on it doesn't really help.
So, tell me what happened.
Dr. Joan asked, panting.
The ice cream from the never-ending ice cream bowl is good, but just not good enough.
So we wanted to try some of the esteemed Italian gelato, you know, to see if it was better.
Long story short.
We went to Italy and got gelato at a place, but the learning eater insulted the gelato shopkeeper who cursed us.
What about you?
Anna asked, looking guilty.
Care to explain how all the air is chocolate now?
Dr. Joan sighed.
The same thing happened to us, except with Swiss chocolate.
And I suppose the same thing must have happened to you with bread?
Joan looked at Wendy.
Pastries, Wendy corrected.
I went to France so I could try some delicious croissants, but then got cursed because someone was rude to the shopkeeper.
Another quick aside to note that many shopkeepers outside of Europe most assuredly make delicious gelato and croissants.
We'll leave our P.O. box in the show notes in case you want to send us some.
Hi.
Complained the past Learninator.
An old-timey clockwork sort of robot.
The croissant really was only 90 out of 100.
Not my fault.
The present and future Learninator snapped up.
The chocolate was only a 9 out of the 10. future Learninator cried.
And the gelato is just an A instead of an A+.
The present Learninator added, then paused.
Wait, am I the only one of my brothers who doesn't use a number scale?
He asked.
Oh, that doesn't matter.
How are we supposed to stop these curses?
Anna asked.
Easy, Dr. Joan answered.
We just travel back in time to five minutes before.
Each Learninator said something rude.
And stop them before they do it.
I think first, Wendy said, we have to teach the Learninator proper manners.
No.
No.
No.
All right, let's begin.
So when you want something, you say, may I please have, Wendy said.
Not give it to me right now.
I'll use my laser eyes to blast you, future Learninator asked.
I had those uninstalled. when you got your new metal eyelids.
No, actually, I kind of deserve that, yeah.
The end.
Oh, such a delight.
Nayara, you are an amazing storyteller.
And kids out there, a reminder that Nayara hasn't just sent in one story.
She's been sharing them regularly, practicing and making progress, which is how I got to become a better storyteller too.
What's one of your favorite treats?
Maybe you don't eat it all the time, but it's always extra special when you do.
I know that these little peanut marzipan candies called De La Rosa are just an absolutely super special treat to me and I can only find them in certain special stores.
Also, how do you think the Learninator could learn to be kind?
What's a better way he could have shown his gratitude to the chocolatier? without insulting her.
Compassion, just like everything else, takes practice.
First in thought, then in deed.
And indeed you can practice kindness by sharing what you think about What If World, sending in a What If question, leaving a rating and review wherever you listen, or just by telling a friend.
We're going to leave you with one last challenge, inspired by Nyara's storytelling.
I've got a question for you from a listener named Scarlett.
Hi, my name is Scarlett, and I'm six years old.
I like my cat, and my question is, what if everything was a rainbow?
Bye, thank you.
What if everything was a rainbow?
Scarlett, thank you for your question.
It doesn't mean I will never answer.
But I am going to give all the kids out there a chance to answer it too.
Bonus points if you can include a cat in your version of Scarlet's story.
Maybe you can make it into a drawing.
Or write a short story if you're reading and writing.
Or maybe put both together and turn it into a comic book, if that's fun for you.
There's really no wrong way to practice storytelling.
Just don't forget to share this experience with your grown-up and get their help whenever you need it, especially if you want to send your story to us.
You can also find out how to support the show and help me do what I love for a living by going to whatifworldpodcastcom support.
We'll leave that email address in the show notes and we hope to hear from you, with your grown-up's permission, whenever you're ready.
I'd like to thank Karen O'Keefe, my co-creator, my producer, Miss Lynn Craig Martinson for our theme song, and all you kids at home who know that trying new foods will help you walk the path of curiosity and joy.
And you might even find a new special treat to include in your next What If question.
And until we meet again, keep wondering.
