A Genies’ Wish

Angelica rises for the day with refreshed hope and a clear head. She knows today will be better.

She needs a new sketch book for the Spring line, and paper to capture her minds’ ramblings, so she grabs a taxi and heads to Moleskin, a stationary store with her favorite kinds of writing and drawing materials.

Jumping in, “Piazza Gae Aulenti, 4, 20154, per favore” she gives the driver her destination as she takes a sip of coffee, keeping warm. Her American-Italian accent isn’t perfect, but the driver understands, and heads on.

‘Grazi.’ she exclaims as she exits the cab and heads in the store. Wiping the leaves off of her red peep-toes as she enters, Angelica notices a faux-leather bound black notebook on display at a table to her left. She sits on a stool at the display and is completely taken. The notebook seems to call to her. Picking it up to admire the craftsmanship and binding, she also notices the thickness of the pages, softness and weight of the product, and the faint smell of timelessness and antiquity —perfect for writing.

She picks up a sketchbook as well and makes her purchase.

Angelica enters ‘La Boutique Rossa’ and truly starts her day. This little boutique is all Angelica’s father left her in his will. His untimely death made the past few weeks hard to bare, but today will be better.

Sitting at her sketch desk, Angelica has the overwhelming urge to turn around, and as she does, she sees her new black notebook flipping open, seemingly on its own, with no draft or A/C in sight. Gasping, she rolls over to the book and looks at the page opened to, now noticing an enscription opposite the leather binding: ‘Beware! The power of words is the power to change to the world’.

Angelica wasn’t exactly sure what was intended by these words, but she now had ample reason to pause from sketching and write a letter in her new notebook.

“Dear papa, I miss you. Ever since you left me I haven’t been the same. I keep telling myself every day that ‘Today Will be Better!’, but most times I feel it falls deaf to the universe. I wish you could be here with me right now, I re-opened your boutique and am working on a new line for this Spring. I also wish I could tell you about this notebook I bought today. Even as I write this letter, I feel a power from it that I have never felt from any ordinary notebook. I don’t fully know how to describe it, but I’ll write more about it later. I love you papa, say hi to mama for me. Bye.”.

No sooner than she closes the notebook, a blue smoke swirls out of it, and before Angelica stands a man, with a long beard and dated-looking attire.

“A fine first and second wish my dear, but a Genie has not the ability to raise the dead, so I am afraid you must wish again.”

.... A WHAT?!?!?!!!

Angelica cannot move. Stillness and shock, that is all she musters.

“Uh, hello dear? Are you alright? Can you hear me well? I know I have been in my notebook awhile, but I could have sworn English was what you wrote in, so that is why I am speaking it to you.”

Finally gathering enough coherent thoughts to speak, Angelica starts: “So you’re a genie. Genies are real. What does that mean? Why are you here?”

“Yes, my dear. Genies are real. What it means is that I am here to grant you three wishes, but there are rules. As for why I am here, well you have purchased my notebook and written on my pages, so here I am! Your humble servant for as long as it takes you to write down three wishes. So long as they are within my abilities, they shall be yours.”.

Still taken aback but calming down now, Angelica replies, “So what are the rules? Earlier you mentioned I made a first and second wish already, but I didn’t, did I? What do mean ‘within’ your ‘abilities’? I’m so confused!”.

“No need to fuss my dear, I shall clear up all that I can. Firstly, you made your first and second wish when you wrote your letter to your late father. Which actually leads me to secondly: I cannot grant wishes outside of my abilities. Genies do not have the ability to revive the dead, make love appear out of air, or cure the incurable, such as cancer or blindness. So you see, your wish to have your father with you and to speak to him directly, I cannot oblige. Now thirdly, and this is MOST important, so write this down; there are rules. These would be things that technically I could do, but goes against the Genie code. Number 1, you may not wish for world peace. It is too vague a thing to grant, and each persons’ perception of peace is different. Number 2, you may not wish for more wishes. You get three and only three, so choose them wisely. Number 3, you may not wish for anything in outer space. I once had a handsome fellow from Thebes wish he could have the moon all for himself, a size small enough to fit in his pocket no less! That was fun to decline. Anywho! Do you understand everything I have explained so far my dear?”.

“Yes!” Angelica replied, now getting excited. “I knew today would be better. So how do I make my wishes, can I just tell you one now?”.

“No, dear. Remember when you wrote your letter? You must put pen to paper and let the ink whisper in my ear what is it you desire. But be forewarned, the power of words is the power to change the world.”

“Eureka!” Angelica shouts loudly. “You’re the one who wrote the enscription in the bindings, aren’t you?”

“Yes, my dear. Written word is a powerful tool, you must be careful how you use it with a Genie.”.

“Got it! I know what my first wish is Mr. Genie, so if you would like like to go back in your notebook or stay out here with me, I’ll write it down now.”.

The Genie remains standing, in patient anticipation for what’s to come.

‘I wish I had the most unique, dazzling, beautiful, and colorful fabrics and designs for my Spring line.’.

“As you wish, my dear.”.

Swirling white smoke around the sketch desk, paper falling from the ceiling, fabrics wooshing all around, and 20 seconds later, Angelica picks up the papers to see at least 50 new designs for Spring, complete with swatches and full fabrics. The Genie then disappears, back into his pages.

“Ah! My new Spring line is going to be a hit! With soft periwinkles and bold chartreuses, everyone in Milan will know my boutique, maybe even Italy!” Then saying more hushedly to herself, “I’m going to make you proud papa.”.

Six months pass and Spring is here, the new line doing even better than Angelica had hoped. The fashion world of Italy was surely abuzz with whispers of the little boutique, ‘La Boutique Rossa’, which had seemingly come from nowhere, with 50+ top of the line, unique, and completely exclusive pieces. They sold rapidly, quite a bit above market value, and before Angelica knew it, she was sitting on a surplus of $20,000 in revenue that didn’t need to cover bills, materials, or anything.

Alone for a moment after closing the boutique for the day, Angelica takes out her little black notebook and turns to the enscription page. The Genie swirls out in his blue smoke, looking a little sad.

“What’s wrong Mr. Genie, are you okay?”.

“Yes, my dear. It is just that, well, you have not made a wish in almost a years time, I fear I may die of boredom! Not that Genies can die, but why have you forsaken me to read only your sleepless musings and letters to your father?”

“Well, Mr. Genie, I thought about making more wishes, I really did, but I honestly think it would be better to heed your warning. I wouldn’t want to change the world for the worse by making a wish that affects more than just me. I choose to be careful, and hopefully wise, in my decisions.”.

“Well, that sounds marvelous my dear. I do hope you find all the happiness you desire out of life. If I may impart one drop of advice, let it be this: travel. I have seen the world many times over, and find something new and inspiring each time. Have fun. ¡Arrivederci!

And so, Angelica used her love for her papa to create a beautiful new life for herself; and maybe she didn’t change the whole world, but with her magical black notebook and $20,000 to spend, she was going to go see it.

Let the adventures begin.