This afternoon, having as usual, very little to do and the weather being fine, I strolled across a local park. There was a patch of ground, normally grass, that had been dug over - presumably by contractors in the process of some project or other, as there were various types of plant and machinery parked around.
Wearing old shoes and for no reason at all, I decided to walk over the bare earth that had been turned over. Somewhere in the middle, I stumbled over something hard; cursing, I looked down expecting to see a stone or a brick but instead found a metal object. This I picked up, and found it to be an ancient brass lamp of Roman (or perhaps Arabic) pattern. Inevitably I rubbed away some of the damp earth that was clinging to it and inevitably again was astounded to observe the appearance of a small and emaciated genie.
The genie (as genies do) then spoke: "Thank you" he said, "You have released me from more than 2000 years of captivity; I was imprisoned when quite young hence my diminutive stature. My powers are limited, but in gratitude I will try to grant you the fulfilment of two of your wishes." Unsurprisingly, I was very happy about this, but the genie made it clear that I must be very, very quick about it.
I asked that SHE would come to her senses and restore herself to me. The genie thought for a while and said "I am terribly sorry, but as I said, I have only limited powers, I am unable to grant you this wish - and further, can grant you only one more."
So I said, "Then please let me die in my sleep; grant me oblivion." At which point he disappeared.
One lives in hope of course.
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