should have asked for an apple !!

Looking at the lamp, beside the heap of garbage and plastics, one of which was in between the jaws of mother of millions of Hindus, cow, trying to chew it just to reach to some manmade content inside it, I thought what if I rubbed it and a blue colored genie appears in front of me and says, ’duh, cant you people just live and let live? What is your problem? You know richter scale reading in my house because of your stupid act, you have any idea? Idiot humans, now tell me what you want and leave me in peace’ I gave up the idea of chafing it, not because it was a part of garbage and not because to reach it I had to cross the two horn animal and also not because there might be a stupid genie cussing me and the whole clan of humans but I dropped the thought as I myself had no idea what I wanted as a wish from him.

Human mind acts weird sometimes or rather all the times. It always wants something which is not available or which is out of one’s reach and if you get that somehow, the mind strikes back saying ‘well they were just tests, now I want something which again is out of reach’.

‘Oh common man, just tell me what you want and spare me from this trauma, feeling real sleepy listening to all this philosophy’ someone shouted, he was already out, to my surprise, without even me rubbing the lamp.

‘it will take time okay, I need to think what I want as I don’t want to ask something stupid and miss this golden chance, did you get it?’ ‘Yeah yeah I got it; it seems you are tomato ketchup rather than my previous engagements, its different you know. Okay let’s see if I can help you in deciding, of course if you wish so’

‘Oh yes why not, just tell me what you gave in your previous meetings with humans’         

‘Last guy asked for a bungalow in a posh area of Delhi, you know how difficult is to get some land in posh areas, so I had no choice, now he is suffering, , illegal encroachment, property more than income, huge property tax, extra burden on maintenance, calls for ransom and many more issues. Moral of the story he is not happy ’

I took aback from the above description, now a bungalow was out of the list. ‘Any other encounter with humans?’ I asked crossing my fingers. I heard ‘car’ and I stopped him and left my fingers free; considering fuel price, it was already out of the list. ‘Nevermind, anyway you won’t like the story because at the end he is also not happy’ he said adjusting his dark blue hair, which was coming to his eyes. ‘then there was this other guy who asked for a real high salary job, so I put him in software industry, and viola, very high salary’ he shouted.

‘Leave it, I know how it works over there, I am one of them, so I know at the end he is also not happy’ I told him trying not to make my frustration public. He winked. ‘Wait a minute, is there anyone, you ever met and granted a wish, is happy?’ I shot a question, quick but relevant one. He started drumming his chin with a finger, eye towards the sky, left eyebrow stretched higher than the right, thinking in a very expressive manner, he turned his gaze back to me and sang ‘nopesy nopesy nopes’.

‘Bingo!’ I shouted ‘I want to be happy’ he almost disappeared back in the lamp, leaving his one eye out to observe me, ‘how is it possible? I cannot grant someone to be happy. It’s not material, it’s a feeling you know, you have to feel it from inside, it cannot be granted’ he was pleading me to change my wish but I knew what I wanted, I knew what it needs to enjoy the life, its happiness.

‘I just want to be happy’ I was firm. He came out, heads and shoulders down, hands hanging lifeless, ‘okay, from now onwards you will be happy’ he said slowly turning his head towards me and vanished. Before I could turn to my way home, he appeared again and smiling sheepishly said, ‘forgot to take the lamp’ and vanished again, this time with the lamp.

I was already feeling happy. As I reached home, threw my bag on the couch and removed my id card to put in the shelf, my eyes went to my name on it; it said ‘Mr. Happy’ ‘Mr. Happy???’ I repeated to myself, ‘holy shit, holy cow I was tricked, I was fooled, I was a victim of a scam of some stupid genie’ I shouted on myself and I was no more feeling happy. Phone started ringing, I picked and the voice from the other side said, ‘hey happy, how are you man?’ I cussed him as hard as possible and fell on the couch, beside the half opened book Shantaram, my eyes got stuck on one of the lines, which said,

‘Happiness is a myth; it was invented to make people buy things’

Looking at my changed name, it seems to be true. 'better I should have asked for an apple, not the iphone you fool, the fruit, eating an apple makes one happy...its science...it has chemicals which stimulates happiness harmon in brain...oh forget it...'.