I was walking home through the park tonight, and I noticed a bright piece of metal catching the sun. I investigated, and buried in the leaves under an oak tree I found a very old brass sconce. I picked up and started to polish with my sleeve. There was a flash of light, and cloud of smoke, and a loud noise, not really a bang or pop, more like Jimi, Steavie Ray, B.B., and a thousand friends all playing different chords at once.

Suddenly, in front of me, there was a creature of fire, light, and wind.

I said, "What the …?"

The creature explained that he was a djinn (which is not the same as a genie, by the way. He explained that in great detail, and made it clear that he resented the confusion.). He also told me that, for rescuing him from his sconce I would be granted three wishes.

Since things like this don’t happen very often you might not believe it, but I had given a great deal of thought to exactly what I’d do in this situation.

I quickly said, "My first wish is for an infinite number of wishes!"

The djinn groaned and said, "I can not do that; it is forbidden."

I had expected that, and said, "Well then, I wish you could."

With a moan, the djinn waved his arms, again there was the guitar choir sound and the smoke and lights, and he said, "Granted. You may now ask for more wishes," and he sighed deeply.

I smiled! This was going just like I’d always planned for it to.

I said, "Fine. I wish for an unlimited number of wishes."

Again he made with the arms and the other special effects and said, "Granted."

I was on a roll! "OK," I said, "Now, I know all about the tricks people like you play. I don't want to just wind up with a collection of pets when I make wishes. So, my third wish is that I will always be able to phrase each wish so that I will get what I really want, not some quibble or some creature from some semantic game."

Again the lights and guitars etc. I was starting to like all that. And again the djinn said, "Granted."

With my new power, it took me a while to form my fourth wish, and it took me about five minutes just to speak it. The ability to see the ramifications of each wish made me aware that wiping out any disease, or really anything done on a global scale, would always cause new problems. It was necessary to keep wishes small and personal.

But eventually I did speak the wish and prepared for the display.

The djinn quietly nodded its head, if a hump in a flame can be called a head, and said, "Ah, that is well spoken and wonderful wish too but, while I gave you more wishes, I still only have to grant you three, and I have done so." Then he flew up through the trees and out of sight.

Well, I wish that had gone differently.

I don't think I really have any more wishes than before, but I wish I knew if I did or not.

I do know the difference between a djinn and a genie now, and wish I had some way to site the information so I could post it on wiki. So it goes.

I wish you all joy.

Jan