Some years ago I was cutting wood not far from this journal, and I was about to cut down one tree when a little man, not more than three feet high, came running out of nowhere and begged me to spare it. I couldn’t believe my eyes, I just started stammering, “You’re a– you mean– I thought–”
“Oh, god!” he said. “Don’t even start that. Listen, I’ll give you three wishes if you *stop* babbling, and spare my tree. No wishes-for-wishes though, or anything that will get my forest overrun with wish-hungry humans.”
“Three magic wishes, huh? Do I have to decide on them now?”
“Not at all! Take your time. When you want to make a wish, just put your hands like this, and say ‘I wish…’, and, you know.” And then he disappeared.
I never decided what to wish for. I have a list of my top ideas somewhere, and there have been some times when I’ve come really close to using one of my wishes. But I always ended up doing things the non-magic way (or not doing them, and then deciding it wasn’t worth it).
Today I got a little note on crinkly leaf-paper in my mailbox. It said my wishes expired.
I can’t decide whether or not to be disappointed. I might have really enjoyed my wishes. Or I might have ended up with a carrot nose. I bet not, though.
I guess I’ll keep living like I still have three wishes.
In other news, some random friends heard that I do hypnosis sometimes and asked to try it, so I’m reviewing my skills. Anyone want in on a round of trances?