25^th March 2006

The bus was running late again.  Ian couldn’t believe his luck; every time he worked the late shift at the factory the damn bus was delayed.  He couldn’t believe that at eleven-thirty on a cold damp Tuesday night there would be enough people out using the local bus service to warrant it being late.  Once again it looked as though he’d have to walk home and with no umbrella he’d be well and truly soaked when he eventually put his key in the front door.

Ian glanced at his watch once more, eleven-forty and with one last optimistic look down the road, he stepped out into the drizzle.  As Ian walked through the town he dodged in and out of the shop doorways to avoid the rain but, deep down, he knew that his efforts to stay dry were a waste of time.  Soon he would come to the end of the row of shops and wouldn’t have the opportunity of shelter to stay dry.

Ducking into the doorway of the last shop in the row, Ian’s attention was drawn to a strange glowing object in the window.  It was a small cube-shaped dark wooden box, intricately carved with small holes dotted throughout the pattern.  From these holes glowed a mysterious flickering light, it reminded Ian of the decorated oil-burner that his girlfriend used to add atmosphere to a room.  It certainly flickered like it but who would light a candle in a wooden box?  Plus he’d never seen a candle that gave off a purple glow before! 

As Ian looked closer, pressing his nose against the cold glass window, he could just about make out the pattern.  Little naked men and women, seemingly dancing round a fire, adorned the top of the box, while round the sides were various animals.  Some of the animals were familiar, like the dog and the pig but others were totally unrecognizable.

Ian looked around the box to see how much it was but he couldn’t seem to find a price tag.  For some strange reason he really had to have this box and he didn’t know why.  He’d have to come by before work tomorrow and enquire about the cost. 

Turning to leave the dry sanctuary of the doorway, Ian suddenly heard a bell and to his surprise the door to the shop was open.  In the doorway stood a lady in a long flowing black dress and with her black waist length hair her complexion looked eerily pale, almost like Mrs Munster without the white stripe in her hair.

“Can I help you?”  She said solemnly.

“I’m sorry,” Ian replied quickly, “I didn’t mean to wake you.  I was just sheltering out of the rain.”

“I noticed that you are interested in the wish box?”  She said out of the blue.

“Well, yes I am but I can come back tomorrow.”  Ian replied, wondering how long she’d been watching him.

“No no, come on in.”  She said smiling eagerly.

“Well if you’re sure?”  Ian said puzzled.

“I insist.”  She replied, ushering him in.

Ian followed the woman into the shop, which was full of interestingly strange objects like wooden carvings, bowls and incense.  They walked up to the cash register, where the woman put on a pair of velvet gloves and then, leaving Ian wondering why she needed gloves, she walked over to the window where the box was on display.

“How much is it?”  Ian asked quickly, not wanting her to take the time of retrieving it if it was too expensive.

“Oh, you can afford it.”  She smiled at him.

This is too weird!  Ian thought.

The woman placed the box on the counter top in front of him and it started to glow again.

“It has definitely chosen you.”

“What?”  Ian was becoming more confused by the minute.  “What do you mean?”

“Well the wish box only glows if it feels the person needs it.  I have had the wish box on display for about five years and you are the first to come by that it truly believes needs it.  You are a very lucky man indeed.”

“How much is it?”  Ian said, going along with her story but not quite believing it.

“To you it costs nothing as it is only on loan, however, before you can take it there are some rules.”

Ian looked at her curiously still unsure whether or not he believed her.

“You must be careful how you use it.  Only wish for what you truly need.  Never tell anyone about the box.  And most importantly, you need to bring it back to this shop in one month and not a moment later.”

The woman placed the box carefully in a black, velvet bag and handed it over the counter to Ian.  “Remember,” she said, “only wish for what you truly need.”

Ian stood in the doorway with the little black bag in his hand trying to understand what had just happened.  He couldn’t believe that just by touching the little box he could wish for anything.  It couldn’t be true. 

The weather hadn’t changed while he was in the shop, it was still raining.  Well, there was his first wish.  He needed it to stop raining.  He opened the bag and slipped his thumb and index finger inside.  Pulling the little glowing box out of the bag, he held it up and looked at it.  Here goes, he thought.  Ian looked around to see if anyone was nearby and once he was sure that he was alone he said out loud, “I wish it would stop raining.”

Ian gasped as the rain stopped, the pavement dried up and the clouds disappeared to reveal thousands of twinkling stars.

The next morning, Ian woke up to the sound of the Radio 1 weather report.  “…And with no rain for the foreseeable future we have a high of thirty degrees, so get your shorts on and your BBQ’s out because Summer’s here early this year!”

Ian stretched, got out of bed and drew the curtains letting the sunlight flood through into his room.  It was a gorgeous day.  Ian had breakfast out on the patio in the sun and as he sat there thinking he wished that he didn’t have to go to work.  Suddenly he remembered the box and he nipped upstairs to the solitude of his room to make his wish.

That afternoon, while he lay on the lounger in his garden soaking up the sun and listening to his personal CD player, his telephone rang and the answer machine clicked on.  “Ian, it’s John, I take it that you’re not coming in to work today.  Well don’t bother coming into work again.  You’re fired!”

Ian finally received the message at teatime but he wasn’t worried.  He had his wish box.  He’d just wish for another job, a better job and he did.  This time though, he was careful to word it better. 

Ian walked through the doors to his office and sat down in the leather chair behind his desk.  His secretary opened the door and made her announcement, “John Hancock for you Mr Green.”

“Thank you Trudy.”  Ian replied with a sly grin.

A very bemused John was ushered into the office.

“Hello John, how are you today?”  Ian asked.

Shocked, John replied, “Good…but how…”

“How did I get the job that you yourself applied for only a week ago?”  Ian interrupted.  “That’s for me to know and you…Well it’s your turn to be fired.  Clear out you office and, well you know the rest!”  Ian smiled a very satisfied smile as John walked out the door.

The month was great for Ian, because of the wish box, he was now getting everything that he deserved, money was no object, he had a nice house, a fast car and life with his girlfriend couldn’t be better as they were to marry next year.  So when he took the box back to little shop and handed to the woman behind the counter he wasn’t sorry to have to give it up.

“Thank you for bringing the box back on time.”  She’d said as he handed her the velvet bag with the box in. 

“No, thank you for letting me borrow it.”  He smiled and left the shop.

It was another sunny morning when Ian woke up next to his new wife but the sun or his new wife couldn’t bring the smile back to his face.  He had been tossing and turning all night, worrying how to tell his wife that the factory he owned was going into receivership and they were now poor.  He still didn’t have an answer when finally he reached for the remote to turn on the morning news. 

“Despite all efforts to conserve water the world is having the biggest drought in history.”  The newsreader reported.  “Ponds, streams and rivers are drying up all over and Africa, the worst hit by this drought, is seeing its population at an all time low.  Meanwhile, in Britain, the harvest of crops is also at a record low, factories have started to go into receivership and supermarket shelves are emptying due to the fear of a food shortage.    The last rain was recorded on the 25^th of March last year and with weather reporters still forecasting no rain in the foreseeable future it doesn’t seem like it’s going to improve.”

End