I used to love shows like “I Dream of Genie,” where you could rub a lamp and have one wish fulfilled. Or three wishes, as some of the fairy tales go. I think most people have fantasized about what they would wish for if they could ever have one special wish granted. I can remember my siblings and I would sit around and try to strategize which wishes we’d wish for, and in what order. The thing is, once we got beyond the basics like “make me super-rich,” we’d start to think about things like world peace and the end of poverty. What we always got around to once we strategized for a while that there are a lot of problems in the world that can be solved with love or money or both. Maybe you can’t solve everything with love and money, but those two things go a long way towards dealing with some major issues. In the joke below, this grandmother has it all figured out.
An elderly woman was walking along the beach when she stumbled upon a Genie’s lamp.
She picked it up and rubbed it, and lo-and-behold a Genie appeared.
The amazed woman asked if she was going to receive the usual three wishes.
The Genie said,
“Nope … due to inflation, constant downsizing, low wages in third-world countries, and fierce global competition,
I can only grant you one wish. So … what’ll it be?”
The woman didn’t hesitate.
She said, “I want peace in the Middle East. See this map? I want these countries to stop fighting with each other.”
The Genie looked at the map and exclaimed,
“Gadzooks, lady! These countries have been at war for thousands of years. I’m good, but not THAT good! I don’t think it can be done. Make another wish.”
The woman thought for a minute and said,
“Well, I’ve never been able to find the right man. You know, one that’s considerate and fun, likes to cook and helps with the housecleaning, is good in bed and gets along with my family, doesn’t watch sports all the time, and is faithful. That’s what I wish for … a good mate.”
The Genie let out a long sigh and said, “Let me see that map!”
