CHAPTER 5

She held out her hand and on her palm was a small box, the size of a matchbox. It was dark and began to shake. Suddenly it grew to the size of a medium sized moving box, floating in the air. It was mahogany and hinged, and floated gently to the ground.

I leaned over and looked at her. When Alessandra nodded I opened it up and found framed degrees and certificates in all the things I'd wished myself to know.

"Reality reflects what you wished. That's the lesson of that gift, and you understood. You didn't wish for anything unnatural or impossible, nor did you use what you wished for to disturb anyone's life or the fabric of reality.

"Now your next gift is this box. It can now only be used by you, and no one else. When not in use it will shrink to matchbox size. If you lose it, it will appear immediately to you. Whatever you wish will be created inside and it will grow to the size needed. Reality will correspond. For example, wish for a debit card connected to a bank account with ten million dollars and the card will appear in the box, and the bank account will exist. Wish for a car and it will appear, the legalities will be in order. But for a car, you'd best place the box in the street.

"It cannot conjure anything permanently anchored like a building, only something portable. Nor can it conjure anything living. You can't put something in it and make it disappear. Remember that whatever you wish for will exist. It may summon something that already exists or create something new. Choose what you wish for wisely."

"For one week?" I asked, amazed and dazed still.

"One more week until the next test."

I almost couldn't wait to see what came next. "Thank you," I said, still stunned.

It took her by surprise. "My child, can't you see?"

"That this could be a curse as much as a blessing? Of course. Thank you for the opportunity."

She nodded, smiled slightly, and disappeared. My dog came hesitantly over to the box, sniffing. I reached over and stroked him behind the ears. "I don't know what she is, Diego, but I have this feeling I shouldn't screw this up."

I took all the framed papers out and stacked them on the floor. With a small shake the box shrank immediately back to small.

"Diego, no! Leave it!" I commanded as the pooch went for it.

I picked it up and thought wildly what to wish for. Well, the dog needed more toys. "I wish for another flying chicken tug toy like the one Diego used to have. And a rope tug toy like PetsMart has."

It shook and floated, growing and then settling down. I opened it to find the toys and with a smile tossed them to my overjoyed pet. He grabbed the chicken and ran ten feet into the dining room, plopping down to chew and bat at it.

Well, I'd learned from my first "gift" to dive right in.

"I wish for an American express card with no limit in my name. I also wish for all the paperwork and a debit card as well as checkbook from a bank account at Bank of America in my name for ten million dollars, after taxes paid."

The box floated, danced, grew, and settled to my lap. I opened the now briefcase sized box to find the two cards, and two stacks of papers, one of them tax forms. I took those out and wished for a portable file case. More shaking and growing and the box settled on the floor.

It took three more wishes, but I had a file case, folders, and labels, and put the banking info in. Then I put t he cards in my wallet and let it sink in. A credit card with no limit. Ten million dollars in the bank.

Hooting and hollering I began to dance. Diego got excited and joined me, grinning a goofy dog grin, thinking we were playing.

"Well boy, for what I have planned we have to look the part." I wished for a good leather collar and expensive new tag for him with his name and my phone number. I slipped it on and indeed, Diego looked dashing, but he always did. He was by far the most photogenic German Shepherd I'd ever seen.

"Come on boy, let's go for a drive."

As I grabbed my coat I remembered to wish for a new rabies tag from the previous year. I checked the computer and planned two stops. The first was to the vet for all his shots and I paid with my new credit card. Everyone loved Diego for being such a sweet dog, and loved me for stocking up on Science Diet, Diego's favorite food which I hadn't been able to afford in years.