3 Wishes of an Immature Gamer

Once upon a time, there was a magical video game console that descended from the heavens to grant three wishes. It landed, for no apparent reason, in one young man’s living room in suburban North America. The young man rubbed his eyes until they opened, rushed out of bed in the middle of the night and investigated the scene in his living room. The console stroked the gray hairs on his long beard, and he explained he was there to grant three wishes. “Wish wisely, though,” the old said console, “for there is no going back once you wish make these wishes.”

First, the young man, his stomach grumbling, spoke about improving the  technological capabilities of video game consoles. “You know, it’s great that video game consoles can play games and watch movies and stuff, but that’s not enough. I need something more”.  As he spoke, his tummy now roared, “I want a video game console that also makes piping hot pizza! I can’t be bothered to make one.”

The wise console sighed. “Very well. I suppose I must… Your wish is my command.” The disc tray of the old console popped open and out came a mouth-watering pizza. “Awesome!” the young man exclaimed.

Second, the young man looked around his living room at the mounds of paper work that resembled mountain peaks. He gestured toward the paper mountains and said, “Can you, like, make all of this disappear? Can you do my taxes because I guess I want to appear responsible.”

The old console cocked his head, lowered one eyebrow and squinted as he sized up the young man. “Sure… I  guess… Your wish is my command.”

Third, the young man thought of all the horrible atrocities in world affairs that had depressed him. “And”, he said, “I wish that we could love one another no matter where we live, no matter what our background,  and no matter what our religion or lack thereof. Nobody deserves to die, and I hope that we can all live to do good and to help one another to be at our best.”

The wise old console’s mouth fell open and he felt a sudden electrical shock surge through his component cables. After closing his mouth and scratching his head, he displayed a kind of pixelated smile on the TV screen. “Very well indeed”, he said enthusiastically, “your wish is my command. Now let’s go out and live that way.”