Story: Genies for Hire

 As I walked by I saw the “For Hire” sign in the window and knew this is the place I was looking for. The brightly lit sign outside boasted that is was Iagos’ diner, home of the world famous burgers. As I walked in I was greeted with the thick aroma that all diners seemed to have. I followed the hostess back to an available booth, while checking out my fellow diners. Just as I was about to sit down I saw him, he was tall with dark brown hair with a streak of blue in it. To anyone else he seemed like a normal college-age boy, but if you looked beyond his appearance you would begin to see the subtle tale-tell signs of his kind. His eyes were deep and held a glimmer of a smirk like he knew more than you, while his movements where wispy and graceful, he seemed to float from table to table as he was taking orders. As he approached my table, I was careful not to make eye contact with him until the last possible moment. Meeting his eye I saw him stumble in recognition. Not the kind of familiarity, but the kind of familiarity that happens when two unordinary people meet.

Schooling his features he asked, “Welcome to Iagos, my name is Raf, what can I start you off with?”

“Ill just take a water for now, but there is something you can tell me, why is a genie working in a diner in the middle of Las Vegas?” I asked as I watched him stiffen.

“I’m sorry, I don’t know what you are talking about,” he said, as he began to turn away.

“Wow, I never thought I would see the mighty genie of the ring run away from anyone. “ I taunted. I needed him to understand that I wasn’t there to expose him. I just needed his help.

“What do you want from me? I have left your kind alone, I am of no bother to you here.”  I winced.  If there were one-thing genies hated more than those cartoon pictures of them on TV, it was people who had magic. To them, the only beings that should be capable of wielding magic were genies. So, to them, someone like me who was born with the ability to see beyond glimmers and even wield minor forms of magic, were abominations. To ordinary humans we went unnoticed, we were practically fully human ourselves, but to genies we lit up like a lamp.

“Please, I just need ten minutes of your time.” He eyed me and slowly sat down.

“What do you want?” I took a deep breath.

“My name is Jenna and I need your help. A malevolent sorcerer has imprisoned my father and I can’t stop him by myself. “ I finished in a rush, we didn’t have time for the long story.

He looked at me closely, “Why should I care about your father?” He wasn’t rude when he asked this just curious,

“My father is the ruler and regulator of magic, the Keeper of the Lamp.” As I said this I saw him sit up. Regardless of genies views on magic people, they would never dare to go against my father. They respected him and his kindness, but knew that my father had the power to trap any unruly genie or magic person in the lamp.

“Who has him?” He asked.

“His advisor, he is an evil man and is trying to overthrow my father. Please I need your help. I can only see magic, so I am of no use against someone like him. “

“ I will help you, for your father, but if we are to succeed we are going to need a friend of mine,” with that he stood and began walking toward the door. I was about to ask what he planned to do about leaving his job in the middle of a shift, but with one look, I decided that it wasn’t worth it. I followed him as he walked; we were heading toward Caesars Palace. I sarcastically thought that he might want to take in a show before we save the world. I quickly ate my words when I saw that we were indeed walking into the hotel toward the ballroom. The sign on the door said it was a show for the “Magical Max.” I rolled my eyes at the thought of a genie wanting to see some bogus magic show. When we walked into the ballroom I saw that the man on the state was no ordinary magician, he was a genie.

 A genies lamp and the story it told. Web source 

When we walked in the man on stage shuddered and then simply continued on with his act. We took a seat and I was about to ask Raf what we were doing when he shushed me. After the show Max, the magician/genie approached our table.

Before he could utter a word Raf interrupted him, “ The king needs our help, are you in?” Plain and simple, I got the feeling that Raf was a man of little words. Like Raf, Max looked very familiar, as I looked at his face I began to piece together how I knew him.

“Oh my gosh, you’re the genie of the lamp!” I said excitedly, the genie of the lamp was the most renowned and powerful genie out there and here his is at a hotel in Vegas acting in a sideshow.  He gave me a debonair smile and took my hand.

“Welcome Jenna, or should I say your majesty?” I was dumbfounded, how had he guessed who I was? But with one look from Raf I closed my moth just in time to see Max wink at me.

“Well are you ready to save the world?” I said as we left the Vegas strip and went to save my father.

Authors Note:

This story is based off of the story of Aladdin and the Wonderful Lamp. The original story has two genies (the genie of the ring and the genie of the lamp) I knew in my story I wanted to make them free. I also think in the original story the importance of the genies were unwritten, yes Aladdin is the main character, but without the help of the genies he would not have been able to do anything. Throughout my story I also included bits from Disney’s version of Aladdin, like Jenna representing Jasmine and Iago the parrot for Iago’s diner.

Bibliography: These notes are based on the reading, "Arabian Nights" by Scheherazade