All because of some hair ties
I stood there, mouth opened, eyes wide at what I just witnessed. A genie, a real life genie, full of magic and capable of anything was in front of us. The universe, God, luck, whatever, had blessed us with this opportunity. An opportunity to change our lives, to change the world. Within seconds, Heather wasted that opportunity by wishing for a new pair of sneakers, an iPhone and...hair ties.
The irony, the sheer stupidity of those wishes were clearly lost on Heather. She happily tied up her long, brown hair into a ponytail and turned her attention to her black iPhone. Watching her just made me angrier.
”What is wrong with you?!”
”What’s wrong with YOU?” She countered.
”We had a genie, A GENIE, who could have granted us any wish and you wish for...for...hair ties?!?”
”I needed hair ties,” Heather replied as if that was the most important thing in the world.
”They are a dollar! You could have wished for a hundred hair ties!”
She laughed, for some reason. “I don’t need a hundred Rebecca.“
I threw my hands up in the air. “You could have asked for a million dollars! You could have asked for all of the money in the world!”
”I thought that but when he came out he said he couldn’t create anything. It had to already exist in the world. If I asked for a million dollars, I’d be taking that money from someone else.”
“That doesn’t make any sense! He’s a genie!” Heather shrugged her shoulders. “That means you took those sneakers, that iPhone and those hair ties from someone.”
”No silly,” She said as she dismissed my statement with her hand. “He got these from the store.”
”How do you know that?”
”Because why would he take these from someone when they are in stores? Duh.”
I could punch her right now. I love Heather, we have been best friends since the third grade but her smug attitude is really irritating me. I collapsed onto the couch and took a deep breath. “You could have given me a wish though.”
”Why? It was my genie.”
”Why? Because we were together when we found the lamp at Reggie’s Pawn Shop.”
”Yes, but I brought it. So it’s wasmy genie. Besides, what would you have wished for? For Stephen Groder to be your boyfriend,” She teased.
My face grew hotter at the mention of Stephen Groder. “No!” I shouted but it was no use. My blushing cheeks gave me away. “Eh, it doesn’t matter what I would have wished for! It would have been something better then hair ties!”
She looked up at me from her phone. “Fine,“ She placed the phone on the coffee table before bending over and picking up the shoe box. “Here. Have these sneakers.”
”I don’t want your sneakers! I want my wish!”
”Then go find another genie.”
”I will!” I declared as I stood up. I stormed out of the room, unaware at the time that was the end of our friendship.
***
”Did you find another genie Granny?” Hector, my freckled face grandson asked me.
”No I didn’t. I searched for years but I never found another genie.“ I scooted towards the end of my chair and grabbed his little hands. “Learn from me. The greatest magic in this world does not come from a genie or a witch. It comes from your friends. Those memories you create, that’s the magic of the world.” He stared up at me with those big, brown eyes, full of innocence. “Go on now. Go play outdoors.”
”Okay!” He bounced to his feet with youthful energy and ran outside.
I leaned back in my chair and looked out the window. Memories started coming back to me of Heather and myself. Back before our friendship ended, all because of some hair ties.