Here’s this week’s challenge:
[Fiction] Friday Challenge for September 7th
A character gets three wishes…
I looked at that tarnished pewter on the coffee table. Where had it come from? I did not recall seeing it before today. I kept staring at it and picked it, rubbing it unconsciously.
Whoosh! “What can I do for you, mistress?” I almost bolted out of my armchair. “Who are you?” I croaked.
“You must have heard of djinns.” He said condescendingly. “However, I cannot stay with you for long. We djinns are always in shortage of time and we keep moving, changing masters. We get bored with the same one, you see.”
“How did you get here?”
“That’s not important. You make three wishes. I will grant those.”
“Three wishes?” I sighed. What should I ask? World Peace? Wealth, Beauty, Fame for myself? I had always wanted some one to grant me wishes and here I was finally getting it and I could not decide.
I looked at my feet. I blurted out, “Shoes, I need such a pair which is very comfortable and never gets old. I do not want to shop for another pair ever.” I hated to hunt for the right pair.
“Next? “The djinn was impatient.
“Eight hours sleep, daily. I am always so tired. Please read my poem, ode to tirednes.”
The djinn disappeared in no time to God knows where!
so much for shameless blog promotion... i believe it sucked up her last wish!!!!!
ReplyDeleteGautami, I had to read it twice to get it. Very clever and that fine print can be so devastating. ;)
ReplyDeleteRose
xo
Well, I must be tired. Or my mind is not working in those infinitely recursive loopy ways that it ought to.
ReplyDeleteI'm missing the trick that rose dk is seeing.
C'est la vie. I need to save my mind now anyway, to teach origami this afternoon.
Michele sent me again,
N.
I would definitely wish for shoes and a good night sleep - it's those ordinary things that we miss.
ReplyDeleteIt seem she only got two wishes - I guess the djinn got bored and left before the final wish or am I missing something here?
Rose, I think you are the only one who got it. I suppose only a poet would understand the irony.
ReplyDeleteI can see that others missd the point entirely.
Oh I get it...Rather run than read. This djinn is impatient! And where's the sense of obligation:0
ReplyDeleteI did read Ode to Sleep. I love the lines:
in that restful state
where mind sleeps body moves-
where body sleeps mind dances-
Keats would be proud;)
ha ha. i think i got it. or at least i think i did. tell me if i got it right. the genie when asked to read the poem disappeared fast and left without a goodbye. =)
ReplyDeletebtw, i think i would have asked for a comfortable shoes that never grows old. but i will make sure that it is a fashionable one so that i don't look shoddy all the time. ha ha.
Oh this is great fun!
ReplyDeleteNo one wants to read poetry! Why should the djinn be any different
ReplyDelete:D
But I love poetry Gautami and I will even do so without granting wishes. ;)
ReplyDeleteHi Gautami... Djinns sure can be tricksters - this one is quite the Mercurius!
ReplyDeleteSee, I figured the "comfortable women's shoes" was one of those impossible wishes, so the djinn figured, "This old broad ain't ever going to get what she wants; she can't be satisfied." What confused me was the "God knows where" to finish it: I wasn't sure if the God reference was important or just the figure of speech. I eventually concluded that it was just a figure of speech.
ReplyDeleteHe disappeared becos he couldn't bear to read poetry! Without granting her a single wish!
ReplyDelete