It’s been a while since we’ve done one of these things, but here’s another terrific reader submission. If you like reading them as much as I like putting them together, which is a lot, just know that we need more submissions to make it happen! This one tells the story of a man who is given everything he’s ever wanted, only to realize that everything comes at a price. Enjoy!
–Jacob Bartholomew
One night I sat by a crackling campfire in the vast expanse of the Mojave Desert, unaware that a chance encounter would forever alter the course of my life. I had sought refuge from the city with a weekend of camping under the stars, and on the very first night I stumbled upon an old, ornate lamp half-buried in the sand when searching around for firewood in the desert. Curiosity piqued, in the firelight I gave it a rub to try to clear off what looked to be a written engraving on its side. To my astonishment, out emerged a genie, swirling and shimmering before me.
After the initial shock wore off, the genie smiled and thanked me for granting him his freedom. He then stated that it was customary to grant his liberator three wishes, but sternly warned me to be careful of what I wished for. He could speak to the need for caution after eons of witnessing former masters making wishes lightly, and the grim situations that sometimes would result. I sat for what felt like hours, but then a thought came to me like a lightning bolt.
Part of what periodically drove me to the desert to camp alone was a lifetime of longing, a dark loneliness that lived deep inside of me that was begging to be corrected. I made my first wish: to feel true love, a sentiment that had eluded me since childhood.
See, my mother gave birth to me and soon after left this world. I never knew a father. I was raised from the age of 8 by my mother’s sister and her husband. My youth was marked by years of torment from my cousins, and years of resentment and neglect from my aunt and uncle. Love was what I’d always wanted in life, and with a nod of the genie’s head, it supposedly was on its way.
The genie disappeared and I was left alone, but about an hour later a weary traveler wandered into my camp from the darkness. Dirty and exhausted from being lost in the desert, she sought refuge by my fire. We talked for hours, and as dawn approached, we found solace in each other’s arms. For the first time in my life, I felt truly content, basking in the warmth of her presence.
But as the weekend passed, I realized that love, like the desert sands, can be both beautiful and unforgiving. Her eagerness to please became suffocating, drowning out my desire for solitude. Despite her best intentions, her relentless pursuit of happiness only served to amplify my unease.
It wasn’t long before her gestures of affection turned into possessiveness, her constant chatter a cacophony that echoed in my mind. Even as I gently tried to distance myself, her obsession grew, permeating every aspect of my life like a relentless desert sun.
Desperate for reprieve, I dropped her off at her home after the weekend of camping and proceeded to go back to work at Applebee’s. While serving a table of three women their third round of Dollaritas, she burst into the restaurant, hurling insults in their direction and declaring me to be her property. I tried to quiet her saying we’d discuss the situation over dinner, which seemed to work as she left the restaurant. But my car’s tires had been slashed and the word “GENIEBOY” had been keyed into its side.
That night, I ended our tumultuous relationship, unaware of the tragic consequences that would follow. Though she seemed to take the news in stride, I awoke the next morning to see her picture on the news. Apparently she had left my apartment and immediately leapt in front of a train. Though she had initially chosen me, she seemingly cho-cho-chose death in my absence. Her untimely demise sent shockwaves through my soul, leaving me grappling with guilt and remorse.
I called out to the genie, who appeared immediately. I explained what had happened with my brush with true love, and he profusely apologized. Once more, he stressed the importance of making wishes with intention and being very careful with the wording. He swore that the next wish would be exactly what I wished for.
I hesitantly made my second wish: I had always wanted to be rich, so I wished I had over 1 billion dollars in my bank account, but this time I was sure to make stipulations. Firstly, I didn’t want the police or drug lords to come looking for me, so the money had to have come into my account legally. Secondly, I didn’t want to be the head of some corporation or trust that may end up with people looking to off me to take my place or somehow gain my money. I just wanted it to be there, and for it to be mine. With a nod of approval, the genie congratulated me on such a well crafted wish and asked me to look at my bank account on my phone. There, I saw that my account contained 1.23 billion American dollars.
I viewed it incredulously, but I made a trip down to the bank to attempt a significant withdrawal. To my surprise, the teller didn’t bat an eye and counted out ten thousand dollars and handed it across the counter to me. The genie had granted my wish, and in one instant, I found myself the recipient of a staggering fortune.
Flush with newfound wealth, I indulged in a day of lavish spending. By days end, I had multiple jet skis and fur coats. Not only was my ten thousand dollars in cash gone, but my credit cards were maxed out and I had signed all of the paperwork after making a down payment on a yacht. I collapsed on my bed, excited to discover what wonders money would buy for me tomorrow, when suddenly the phone rang.
The voice on the other end was an account manager from my bank. Apparently there was a clerical error and a number of zeroes had somehow been briefly added to my account. Though the oversight was quickly corrected, they had seen that I had withdrawn some money this afternoon before the mistake was caught. He urged me not to spend it as it didn’t belong to me, stating there would be legal consequences if it were not returned tomorrow. My newfound wealth had been stripped from me as quickly as it had arrived.
Frustrated and disillusioned, I confronted the genie once more, demanding answers for the misfortune that had befallen me. The genie was incredibly embarassed, he had thought I was so careful in my wording. But ultimately, with a heavy heart, the genie acknowledged the flaw in my wish, and urged me to exercise caution in my final request.
With a sense of resignation, I made my third and final wish: I wanted a bought and paid for 2012 Nissan Altima registered in my name with just under 80,000 miles, it starts and runs reliably and will do so for at least ten more years and will always pass state inspections. The genie nodded solemnly with a grin. He then floated to my apartment window that faced the parking lot, beckoning me to join him. I followed and gazed into the parking lot, and under a street lamp there it was. My altima was silver and looked a little worn as far as the paint went, but it was complete. Looking closer, its vanity license plate beared the word “GENIE” in bold letters.
In that moment, I realized the true power of choice. While the genie granted my wishes, it was ultimately up to me to navigate the consequences that ensued. Through love and loss, wealth and poverty, I learned that true fulfillment lies not in the fulfillment of desires, but in the choices we make along the way.
With a smile and a nod, the genie disappeared, never to be seen again. Though he’s gone, I am grateful for the lessons learned and the wisdom gained, for it is in the journey that we truly find ourselves. And if you see a lamp in the sands of the desert, let it be. Or don’t. Actually, I’m not sure what the lesson is here.
–Andy LaFrancoise, loved and lost
Wow, what an emotional roller coaster Andy, thank you for sharing that one! I’ll tell you, I am going to plan a trip out to the desert right now in hopes of finding one of these guys. Not really for the granted wishes, but to test my mettle against their tricks!
If you have a story you would like to submit for publication on our site, please email us at [email protected] and we’ll take a look at it. I do some editing to ensure it’s up to our standards and to make myself feel worthy of a paycheck, but I do not change anything pertinent to the story as a whole. Thanks for reading!
