- "So let me get this straight"- Ray was still in shock, and in disbelief, as he stared at the genie that came out of the bottle he found in his storage, while he kept looking for an old guitar he knew he had somewhere around, but still couldn't find.
- "You are gonna give me three wishes just 'cos I just opened this bottle?"
- "Yes, master"- the genie simply answered, and ray raised an eyebrow, completely suspicious.
- "I don't buy it, and how did you end up in my storage, by the way?"
- "I don't know, my last master set me free in 1983... which year is this, by the way?"
- "2019."
- "Wow... it's been a while. Catch me up a little."
- "Well..." - Ray scratched his head, thinking what could be relevant to say about the last three decades- "Shit is pretty much the same, but now everybody is stuck at their phones."
- "Their phones? at home?"
- "No, there are cell phones now. People carry them everywhere."
- "Why?"
- "'Cos they have everything, you are connected through the internet to everybody and anything you need."
- "Sounds interesting"
- "It is, but sometimes you are stuck at your phone and you miss a lot of the things around you. Sometimes I wish those things weren't even invented."
- "Done!"- the genie snapped his fingers, and Ray wide opened his eyes.
- "Bullshit!"- the guitarist checked his pocket, but his cell phone had disappeared- "How did you do that?"
- "What part of "I'm a genie" didn't you get?" now, what else can I help you with?"- Ray stayed still, in shock, trying to understand what had just happened.
- "Wait, what happened with all the cellphones?"
- "They disappeared."
- "Can you undo it?"
- "You have to wish for it."
- "That would be two wishes and I'd only have one left."
- "Wow, you are brilliant,"- the genie snorted and Ray frowned.
- "Dude, you are pretty rude!"
- "Sorry, when you've been locked for a few decades, you kinda lose your people skills"- Ray sat on a plastic box and stared at the genie. It didn't really look like the one in the movies. He was actually dressed in a Hawaiian shirt and white pants.
- "How much time do I have to make these wishes?"
- "Normally, it's about six hours"- Ray knit his eyebrows and crossed his arms on his chest.
- "I thought I had more time to think of my wishes."
- "Usually, people know what they wish or make stupid mistakes and wish to get rid of phones."
- "Funny."
- "Thanks..."
- "Are there any rules?"
- "Yeah, you can't wish for more wishes and you can't wish someone dies."
- "That's it?"
- "Pretty much"- Ray looked up the ceiling, trying to concentrate on a good wish that could help people and not just himself... which was more complicated than it looked like.
- "Damn it! I wish my wife were here to help me with this!"
- "Done!"
- "Fuck no!!"- Ray's wife appeared out of nowhere and looked around, confused.
- "What the fuck?"
- "No! that's not what I meant,"- Ray argued, looking at the genie.
- "You said you wished, I just did what I was told!"
- "Ray? what's going on?"- Christa asked and looked at her husband upset- "How did I end up here?"
- "It's pretty hard to explain."
- "Give it a try"- she was upset; it was easy to see. Well, you don't simply appear somewhere out of nothing and don't ask your husband a good explanation, when it's clearly his fault.
- "Ok, so, I opened this bottle, and that genie came out."
- "Hi!"- the genie waved and smiled. Christa waved back, even more confused, and turned to Ray again.
- "What are you talking about? who the hell is this guy?"
- "A genie... in a bottle... you know..."
- "And what? you've got three wishes?"
- "Yeah... well..."- Ray was having a real hard time explaining all that happened to his wife.
- "He already wasted two, only one left"- the genie explained to the woman- "And if he wastes it in the next four minutes, it will be a new personal record."
- "Wasted? what did you do?"
- "I accidentally got rid of all the cellphones in the world,"- Ray whispered and closed his eyes.
- "You what?!"- his wife yelled- "How the hell did you waste a wish in that?"
- "I don't know... it's not as easy as it seems. It can get pretty confusing."
- "Oh really? you just have to think of a good wish and stop saying, "I wish in the mid-time."
- "Yeah, when you get your wishes, you'll see it's not that simple."
- "I don't find it hard, honey."
- "It is! You get mistaken! it's a burden!"
- "It's an amazing thing! you can do so much good with only one wish"
- "Well, it's pretty tricky too! I wish you could understand it!"
Christa covered her face with both hands as she heard her husband saying the words she knew she didn't have to say. Ray bit his tongue and closed his eyes, sighing. He fucked it up.
- "And done! your wife totally gets it now"- the genie quickly said and waved goodbye- "Ok kids, time to go, that was a new record, thank you for this limited time in the real world."
- "Wait, what happens to the bottle now? can I open it again?"
- "Sorry, dude, you only get one genie chance in a lifetime."
- "What about me?"- Christa asked and tried to grab the bottle, but the genie quickly took it away from her.
- "Sorry love, you gotta find it on your own"- the genie opened the bottle and got in, waving. As soon as the bottle was closed, it disappeared.
Christa and Ray looked at each other in silence.
- "Ok, that was weird,"- he finally said and she nodded
- "Definitely... so, where did all the cell phones go?"
- "No idea."
- "Damn it... why didn't you wish something more important?"
- "I told you, it was hard and tricky"- the woman sighed and nodded
- "Yeah... I totally get it now."
