A Single Drop

I didn’t want to go home, Beth was at me again with her constant, “Are you ever going to amount to anything? Where’s your promotion! Be a man, Albert, GROW UP!” I was totally wiped out and hoped a scotch at Ziggy’s might help. While bemoaning my life's miseries to my scotch a woman sat next to me, ordered wine and took a small bottle of red liquid from her purse, placed it on the bar then twirled it slowly with her fingers until I asked, “What’s in it?”

She shrugged and said, “In this drink there are always more ingredients than you’d ever guess.”

”I don’t believe you. Whatever’s in it is what’s in it until someone changes it.”

”Ohh, you think? A drop of it will grant one wish”

Staring into its depths at the reflected light I saw color dispersion, like in a diamond, and wondered what she was talking about. ”Right, and all it costs is my soul?”

”No souls, ten dollars.”

”How fast does it work?”

”Immediate.”

”Probably just a high, but what the hell, I don’t give a damn!” … “Okay, one drop.” I paid and she put it in my scotch.

”Make your wish and drink. Wish wisely, it can not be reversed.”

I said, “I wish Beth would disappear,” and tossed it back. Nothing seemed to happen. “What’s wrong?”

”Nothing.” She put the bottle in her purse and left.

Getting home I found Beth’s dress, underwear, and a pile of dinner ingredients on the kitchen floor, a search discovered purse, wallet and keys, but no Beth. Standing, looking at the mess in the kitchen I thought, “‘What the hell, it’s like she just disapp…’

Now I’m sitting in this cell wondering what the hell happened. Beth did disappear and I have no alibi.