Today on The Wishmonger, a Wish Causes Something Almost Magical at the Fountain!
“Hello, Roger, how was school?” James Pine asked.
Roger looked over his shoulder at the list, “Fine, what’s happening here?”
Ike grinned, “It seemed like a good time to remodel. I’m thinking of expanding.”
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Leslie nearly jumped up and down, “That’s great! I thought you weren’t….” the others glared at her, willing her to remember they were not supposed to have certain overheard information, “I mean, business seemed a little slow lately.”
James Pine shot his son a curious look and Roger chose that moment for their exit, “Come on guys we’d better get going if we’re going to finish that project.”
After wishing Ike good luck the four friends headed up Mulberry to the park. The street was deserted when they arrived at the foot of the drive and Roger suggested they all walk up together. They walked along talking and laughing until they reached the gate. Roger couldn’t put his finger on it but something didn’t feel right. He motioned for the others to be quiet.
“What is it?” Joey whispered.
“ I’m not sure, I think I’d better go take a look,” he handed his backpack, containing the fountain key to Joey and signaled the others to wait there.
As roger approached the fountain, his stomach fell and a knot rose up in his throat. The sense of dread he had been feeling for the past few moments materialized in the form of his uncle, arms folded, leaning against the basin wall of the fountain. “Well, if it isn’t our little wish master,” he hissed, “I warned you Roger. I told you to stay out of my way. Now the gloves are coming off. I had plans for Ike’s and now it seems you have disrupted them. No bother, it’s just a minor inconvenience. It will be even sweeter bulldozing the new improved Ike’s.”
Roger looked around. He wondered how his uncle knew who it was. He didn’t act like any blind man Roger had ever heard of. “I am blind, I assure you, blind as a bat,” Benedict said, removing his glasses, “That is what you were thinking, isn't it? But surely you don’t think you’re the only one with the ability to see beyond his physical sight.”
“What do you mean?” Roger tried to sound brave but his voice quivered.
Uncle Benny just chuckled, “Nervous? You should be!” he roared, “you have forty-eight hours to return here, with the key to this fountain, or…” he finished with a low haunting laugh.
Roger swallowed hard, “Or what?” He wanted to add, you don’t scare me, but he knew it would sound like the hollow lie that it was.
“You decide. I think a man should be able to decide his own fate, don’t you?” and with that Benedict Arnold Pine-Wish brushed past his nephew and walked out of sight down the path.
When his knees stopped shaking enough for him to stand, Roger ran down the path behind him. As he rounded the bend, he stopped. From where he stood he could clearly see the gate. His three friends waited for him on the other side of it. But where was his uncle? He ran down the path and slammed through the gate where he fell to his knees, sobbing.
“ What is it? Did something happen to the fountain?” Joey asked nervously.
Roger couldn’t speak. His whole body was trembling. Leslie bent down on one knee and placed her arm around his shoulder, “Thomas, help me out here, let’s take him to the bench over there.”
Thomas picked Roger up, bodily and set him on the bench. He, Joey and Leslie gathered in front of him. His voice shook, “My uncle…” Roger wiped his eyes and sat up a little straighter, “was here, he told me I have forty-eight hours to give him the key, or else.”
Thomas glared over his shoulder, daring Benedict pine to show himself, “Where is he? When I catch up with him…”
Joey looked Roger in the eye, “Or else what?” he asked.
“He wouldn’t say, but I got the feeling it wouldn’t be pleasant. He said I would be choosing my own fate,” Roger sniffed.
Leslie looked over her shoulder nervously, “Maybe we should go.”
Roger stood up and took a deep breath, “No, Matthias warned me some people wouldn’t like it. I think we should go ahead with our plans.”
Joey's concern showed in his wrinkled brow, “Are you sure? He may be waiting for us to do just that so he can steal the key!”
“Let him try,” Thomas stood and put his hands on his hips, “I, for one, am not afraid of some skinny, blind old man.”
Roger smiled and wiped his eyes. Leslie gave him a hug and Joey slapped him on the back. Roger led the way up toward the fountain. They walked up the path slowly eying every potential hiding place with suspicion. By the time they had reached the Fountain Gazebo everyone had begun to relax. Roger took off the baseball cap he had worn just for this purpose,“ Do we each have our wish?” they nodded.
He passed the cap around and each of them dropped a folded slip of paper in it. Roger held the hat out to Thomas and after a halfhearted attempt at refusal he pulled a wish from the hat, “I think this one is
yours Joey.”
He handed the slip to Roger who read it aloud, “ It says, I wish for wishes to be legal in Wishful again.”
“It isn’t mine,” Joey said.
“Don’t look at me,” Thomas added.
Leslie shrugged, “Mine wasn’t nearly that good.”
All eyes were on Roger, he shook his head indicating he hadn’t written it either. He shook the remaining slips out into his hand and counted, “One, two, three….there are still four wishes here.
Someone had to put this in.” Each of them in turn flatly denied having written the fifth wish, explaining what their wishes had been. “Well, I think it’s clear that this wish needs to be made. All in favor?” it was unanimous.
Roger took the key from its box and opened the valve to fill the fountain. No one spoke as they watched the clear water cascading into the basin. They remained silent as Roger handed Joey one of the five remaining gold pieces. Joey approached the wall of the fountain, held the coin in his open hand,
closed his eyes and tossed the coin into the water.
As the coin hit the water everyone gasped. Rising up from the center of the fountain and spreading out until it filled the basin from wall to wall was the most beautiful rainbow any of them had ever seen. The sun was setting behind the fountain and it rays glowed with the brilliant colors. As quickly as it had appeared, it faded. The sun had dipped behind the nearby trees. No one moved for several minutes. It was as if they agreed without saying a word that this moment should not be disturbed.
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