Every step of the way Brian wanted to rebel, to run away. He was dressed, he had shoes on, he could have escaped. But to where? He looked like a special needs boy dressed this way. So he continued on his illogical mission to let his mom take him to college, dressed like a preschooler, so that he could find his friends and they could help figure out what was wrong with him. Brian was convinced by now that this was all due to something his mom had done. He just had to play along until she left him at school, then he’d be free.

So he followed her down to the kitchen, where she packed a lunch for him and placed it in a bright blue plastic backpack covered in Thomas the Tank Engine designs. Seeing the backpack gave Brian conflicting feelings. He had to cringe at the idea of wearing such a childish accessory, but at the same time he felt a flutter of excitement. He really did love trains after all, had since he was very little. He had vivid memories of whole afternoons spent lying on the carpeted floor pushing his Thomas trains around as a boy.

“Okay,” Mom declared, taking his hand again. “Let’s get going buddy!”

Brian let her lead him out to the car, feeling certain everyone in the neighbourhood had to be staring at him right now. He prayed no cars would go by, no joggers run past until he was safely hidden in the car. Keeping his eyes on his feet out of shame Brian didn’t even notice Mom was leading him to the back seat until she’d opened the door. To his surprise a large booster seat, big enough to accommodate an adult, sat in the right back seat.

“Hop in!” Mom cheerfully directed.

Brian climbed into the seat, finding how it sat him higher in the car than he was used to very strange. Despite his adult size the raised seat meant his feet didn’t quite reach the floor. Only his toes brushed it as his feet dangled. Mom leant over him and did his seat-belt up for him, then got in the front and buckled herself in, smiling at him in the mirror.

As the Subaru station-wagon cruised slowly through the residential streets of their suburban neighbourhood Brian got his first inkling that the changes he’d been through might not be unique. As they waited at a four-way stop he noticed a thirty-something woman pushing a stroller along the sidewalk. The stroller seemed much too large and a quick glance at the occupant revealed why. A boy of about twelve was sat in the stroller. He was dressed in nothing but a large and puffy white diaper, sucking on a big red pacifier and grabbing at his wiggling bare toes with a look of innocent curiosity in his eyes.