Djinn Tonic

Djinn Tonic

“The sand’s hot,” Doris complained. “I’m sweating. Move us to the shade.”

Bob grimaced. God, I wish she’d stop complaining! Obediently, he picked up their bags, chairs, and towels and lugged them to the palm tree. Great! I’m her pack mule; no, make that jackass!

“Ouch!” Doris grabbed her foot. “Only you’d pick the one place on the beach with rocks!”

“There’re no rocks on a beach,” he murmured, stooping to see what she’d stepped on.

Buried in the ground was an old lamp.

“Give me that,” she said snatching it away. Taking a towel, she wiped it off.

Suddenly, a genie appeared in a cloud of smoke followed by a loud clap of thunder. “What wish may I grant you?” she asked.

Bob noticed how attractive she was.

Doris looked up from where she’d fallen. “What in the hell do you think you’re doing? All that smoke, the loud noise. Why are you just standing there, half naked? Come help me up!”

“Madame,” she said, “my only duty is to grant you three wishes.” Her expression said she wasn't used to being greeted in such a manner.

“You scared me! I thought I was going to die!”

The genie rubbed her forehead, the beginnings of a headache coming on.

“You know,” said Bob suggestively, “that sounded like a wish to me.”

The genie smiled, nodded, and Doris disappeared.

“There are still two wishes to grant,” she said, bowing to Bob.

“Are you in a hurry?”

“No.”

“Well then, why don’t we get out of the sun? I’ll buy you a drink. How long has it been since you've had a vacation?”

“You wouldn't believe me if I told you.”

Bob smiled. “This is shaping up to be the best vacation ever,” he confided as they walked to the bar.


Notes:
An entry for the "SENIOR CENTER FORUM"  [ASR]
Prompt: Write a poem or story that includes the word vacation.

The word is djinn (pronounced gin) and is another name for a genie