What superpower would you choose to have?

7:07pm Thursday 6th March 2008

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IF YOU could have one teeny weeny superpower, what would you choose?

Would you turn invisible, or would you want to fly like Superman?

It's a bizarre question of course, but we put it to readers of Midweek print newspaper this week in a street survey and came up with some intriguing answers.

Tom Power, 21, from Amersham Hill, High Wycombe, hit us with the most outlandish reply of them all.

He said: "I would grow a comedy moustache so I could change my identity easily and be a spy with handlebars.

"But I would use the power for good - I would fight crime by using my moustache identity-changing."

It was impossible not to see the funny side of Marcy Rector's answer - because she asked for a super wit.

"I'll have a witty comment for everything. That's one thing I would want - something that would be useful in my everyday life," said Marcy, 31, of Ryemead Boulevard, High Wycombe,.

I can quite sympathise with you there, Marcy, because that would make writing this column a great deal easier.

Sadly, I only have 50 per cent of that particular superpower. I suppose that's why people always call me a half wit.

Meanwhile, student Emma Harrison, 18, from Wycombe Abbey School, had a lofty ambition when asked what power she would like.

"Mine would be flying so I could fly away on holiday whenever I want and so I could win the long jump at the Olympics and generally impress my friends," she said.

Matt Tilley, 28, from Ryemead Boulevard, also wanted to fly. And I can quite understand the reasons.

"You wouldn't have to worry about parking and petrol and it's environmentally-friendly," he said.

Yes Matt, but you live in High Wycombe. And I'm sure if people flew, the council would find a way to charge. There'd be Air Tax or Fly and Display.

These ripostes to our daft question left me wondering what I'd choose for myself if I ended up in a world inhabited with people such as the characters in the hit TV show Heroes.

My first thought living in High Wycombe was to turn myself into the Incredible Bladderman. This would mean I could hold off going to the toilet for hours on end, which is very useful in a town centre where convenient public loos are as rare as free parking.

Happily, though, this power will not be needed from next week when the Eden centre opens because I've been assured there are plenty of WCs.

So, as an alternative, I would choose to be like the girl in Heroes who could morph into any other person at the drop of a hat.

My first act would be to shape change into Bucks County Council leader David Shakespeare.

Then I'd quickly nip into County Hall and slash everyone's council tax by 75 per cent.

Next I'd transform myself into Wycombe District Council leader Lesley Clarke and pass a by-law allowing free parking in High Wycombe on Sundays.

Immediately afterwards, I'd turn into the goalkeeper for the team Wycombe Wanderers are playing against on Saturday. And I'd accidentally let in a hatful of easy goals so Wanderers can pick up three vital promotion points.

Finally, I'd morph into my boss and fire off a memo to the accounts department rewarding one Steve Cohen with a 100 per cent pay increase.

Sadly, it's all the stuff of dreams and the only thing resembling a superpower I have is a weird double-jointed ankle that moves up and down when I will it to.

So is it a bird? Is it a plane? No it's Double-Jointed Ankle Man. Somehow, I don't think it's going to catch on.