The Wishing Coin: A Modern Fairy Tale

by Antara Mann

  “I don’t know,” I stared at him thoughtfully. “When can I meet him?”

  Epilogue

  Eventually I shot the story about Mike’s father. To my surprise, it turned out to be successful. Carter praised me and said they’d been planning to launch a new show in the spring and had been considering me as a host. I started dating Mike. I was thankful to that stranger because the magic coin had taught me how to be happy. Sometimes when I walk down West 54th Street, I see him selling coins. Every time he greets me with a wave of his hand. Once I stopped in front of him.

  “How are the sales going? Are people buying?”

  “As usual. Why are you asking? Are you looking for a coin to fulfill all your wishes again?” He winked at me.

  “Well, it turned out I don’t need such a coin anymore. I am doing much better on my own.” I hesitated before I could ask, “There’s one thing, though, that’s still not clear to me – why did you sell me such a powerful object in the first place?”

  “One gets as much as they can bear.”

  “Can you please stop talking in riddles? I need a straight answer.”

  “Okay, let me ask you this way: Are you happy now?”

  “Yes.”

  “Do you own a wishing coin?”

  “No.”

  “Well, that’s your answer. You don’t need a magic coin; you are the magic coin if you only start taking things humbly and peacefully and enjoying everything your fate offers you.”

  “What are these coins you’re selling?” A customer stopped and came closer to the table.

  “Coins which fulfill wishes. The young lady will confirm.” The stranger smiled and nodded to me.

  “It’s true. The coins are priceless.”

  The man snorted and asked to take a closer look at a white one.

  After a few minutes I said goodbye to the vendor and walked down the street. I threw a last look at him. He was enthusiastically explaining something to the man. I had never felt happier. I turned away once again to meet his gaze but there was no sight of him. Had I been hallucinating? I stopped a policeman walking nearby and asked him hurriedly:

  “Excuse me, three intersections from here, by the clothes shop, there was a stranger selling magic coins. Where is he? I can’t see him.”

  “Sorry? A coin seller?” He smiled sympathetically. “I don’t know what you were looking at, but no one has ever sold anything, especially magic coins, around here.”

  I looked at the space in front of me and the words of the vendor echoed in my mind: “You are the magic coin.”

  Excerpt from Back To The Viper:

  Chapter 1

  Ashley Greendale gave the customer his change and was just about to sit down on her chair again and finish an advice article for new mothers when the door of the Starbucks opened and in came Peggy.

  “Ashley, what’s up? How’s your business today? Mine is dead in the water. Don’t people buy flowers during the summer?”

  Ashley smiled and lifted her eyes from the magazine. Peggy, the florist from the neighboring shop, was being very emotional, as usual.

  “It’s normal here; people will always buy muffins and tea.”

  “Yeah…you’re right.” Peggy looked around and sat on the nearest chair.

  Starbucks was empty and there was less than half an hour until the end of the working day. It was Saturday, June 27, 2015.

  “Do you have any plans for tonight?” Peggy asked. “How about going to San Francisco, to Dada? Barney, Will’s friend, is interested in you.” She winked at Ashley.

  “Barney? Have I really come to the point of dating a truck driver?” Ashley left the magazine tiredly and smoothed her hair. “I’d love to hang out with you, but today I’m seeing the guys from The Jackal.”

  “The Jackal?” Peggy asked, puzzled.

  “Yes, the band I used to sing in ten years ago. Do you remember when I told you about the showcase we had at The Viper Room?”

  “Oh, that one? Where are you seeing them?”

  “At Gordon Biersch, San Jose. Craig suggested the place because it’s close to Cisco’s office.”

  “Your buddy works for Cisco?”

  “Mhm.”

  “Are the guys from your former band cool? Are any of them single?”

  Ashley chuckled. “Wayne is always available, but he’s not exactly what I’d call ‘the dream boyfriend.’”

  “But is he good looking?”

  “He’s unarguably attractive, but he’s only good for a flirt, not for a long relationship.” Ashley let the cash register run an end-of-day sales report while opening the cashbook. She had decided to close fifteen minutes early tonight because of the date.

  “So I can join, then? Do you think Wayne will like me?” Peggy came closer to the counter and leaned on the glass.

  “As you wish,” Ashley replied absent-mindedly. She was too busy calculating the sales for the day.

  “So how did you end up having a showcase at Hollywood’s most exclusive nightclub?” Peggy asked, but there was no answer. Ashley was taking out the receipts.

  “It must have been awesome playing at The Viper Room among so many stars; did you enjoy it?”

  Ashley lifted her head when she heard The Viper Room mentioned, but then her eyes dropped back to the report. After a while, the silence that had descended was suddenly broken by Ashley’s joyful exclamation: “One thousand, five hundred and five dollars for the day! Not bad.” She gave Peggy a satisfied look.

  “I have just a bit over five hundred. Yesterday it was below a thousand, too.” Peggy gave a slight sigh.

  “Why don’t you move here and work with me?” Ashley asked. “We would have fun and we pass the time more easily together. I’ll talk Mike into hiring one more girl. My colleague is probably quitting soon, anyway.”

  “Ashley, I just don’t get why you didn’t keep on singing and, instead, you’re working such a dead-end job? Were you with The Jackal out of luck or something?”

  “We were too young, inexperienced, and not stubborn enough. We thought our band would conquer the world immediately.” Ashley smiled bitterly. “During the showcase at The Viper Room, I was only eighteen, and at twenty, Wayne was the oldest in the band.” She turned off the computer. “I guess if we’d been more zealous and if we’d gone on, someone would have noticed us. Who knows?”

  “That guy, Wayne, is he coming tonight?”

  “You can’t get him out of your head and you haven’t even seen him!” Ashley remembered how ten years ago they’d had a fling. God, how fast did the time fly! Back then, she’d just been graduating from high school, full of big dreams about life. Ten years later, she worked as a barista at Redwood City’s Starbucks and was a single mother of a four-year-old girl.

  “Come on, let’s go!” Ashley said. “It’s at least a thirty minute ride to Gordon Biersch.” She took her bag and drew the blinds. Peggy was already outside waiting for her.

  Chapter 2

  “Scene two, take one! Aaand, action!”

  Wayne Bonner started the motorcycle and hit the jeep coming from the opposite direction at full speed. In the last second before the crash, he jumped out and fell to the ground.

  “Cut! End of scene two. Nice job, guys! Thirty minute break. We’re resuming at three o’clock.” The director left the film set and Wayne saw him walking along the shore.

  “What’s up, bro? How’s it going?” Joe slapped him on the back.

  “Perfect – as usual!” Wayne smiled widely and slapped the actor warmly in return.

  “Are you free tonight? We are going out with the boys…” Joe didn’t manage to finish because Wayne’s cell phone rang loudly.

  “Yes?” he answered. “Baby, what is it? I thought we agreed that tonight I won’t be able to…” Wayne paused to listen and then spoke nervously. “What are you talking about? I never went out with your friend Brittany! Yes, I’m seeing my friends from the band… What? The band I played in years ago! Yes, that’s right. No, they’re
all men except for Ashley… God, you’re crazy! Go see a shrink!” Wayne pushed the end call button angrily and then quickly put his iPhone back into his pocket.

  “Your girlfriend bugging you?” Joe asked.

  “Women!” Wayne said. “They’re crazy! She accuses me of sleeping with her best friend, and I’ve never even been alone with her! And all because I once said she had great legs.”

  Joe clicked his tongue disapprovingly.

  “You can’t do that, man. Don’t talk about other women in front of your girl. Make her feel unique…”

  “Since when did you start talking like Dr. Phil? Has your wife begun throwing Cosmo tips or feng shoon bullshit at you or what?”

  “It’s called feng shui, not feng shoon…”

  “I don’t care! You’ve become a real softie, man. I guess that’s one of the cons of family life.”

  Joe looked at Wayne thoughtfully. He liked him as a friend, but he couldn’t really imagine him as a good husband or even boyfriend. He changed his girlfriend every three months – either they caught him red-handed or he’d find “a hotter babe,” as he would say. He was obviously an incorrigible womanizer.

  “I heard you’re seeing your old buddies from your former band?”

  Wayne opened a bottle of beer and then sat on one of the closest chairs. He looked around – fifteen minutes later, when the break would be over, the place would be full of people and awfully crowded. Now it just looked like an empty set.

  “Yes, that’s right,” Wayne answered. “We haven’t seen one another in almost a year.” His eyes wandered in the empty space before him. “The four of us hold a reunion at least once a year.”

  “Speaking of reunions, are you playing with the Masters of the Dark at Mr. T’s Bowl this week?”

  Wayne had given up on his music career and worked as a stuntman in Hollywood for actors such as Joe, but he played in a pop rock band in his spare time.

  “Yeah, we should.” He took a sip of beer.

  Joe looked around and then asked: “So what happened to your former band? Why did you break up?”

  “Buddy, could you do me a favor and stop making me talk about that?”

  “Okay,” Joe said. “I was just curious and wanted to know some more.”

  “Ask me anything else, but not about The Jackal! It’s painful to me.”

  Joe looked at Wayne with interest; he wondered what could have happened to make Wayne react so sharply.

  Chapter 3

  Craig Bloomingdale was getting dressed, looking at his reflection in the mirror approvingly. He was just putting on his tie when he pricked himself with a pin stuck in his shirt.

  “Ow,” he groaned. “Honey, we should change the dry cleaning firm. This is the second time they’ve returned my suit with something extra on it,” he shouted toward the kitchen, where his wife was hanging about.

  “Honey, don’t forget your lunch! I made your favorite: broccoli with mushrooms!” his wife Monique yelled. Apparently, she hadn’t heard him.

  Craig tightened his tie and went to the kitchen.

  “It’s the second time I’ve pricked myself with a pin from the dry cleaning firm.” He threw the object in question on the kitchen table.

  “I’m sorry, honey, I’ll look for another firm. Just, please, don’t forget to come home by eight tonight. Jerald and Abby are coming to visit with little Tim and…”

  “Baby, I told you a week ago that tonight I’m seeing my friends from the band I used to play in.”

  “I thought it wouldn’t take so long…”

  “I’ll try to come back by eleven, but I can’t promise anything.” Craig Bloomingdale was already putting his coat on, taking a pleased look at himself in the mirror. He was ready to conquer the high-tech world.

  “Eleven! So late! So I’m receiving the guests alone, then?”

  “I’ll call you around ten.” He kissed his wife. At that moment, his little daughter rushed to him.

  “How are you, beauty?” He picked her up, and she giggled. “Daddy’s going to work so that he can buy you more toys.” He pinched her nose and then put her down on the floor. He kissed his wife again and went out.

  A few minutes later, he was driving to Cisco Systems’ office. As he was going through downtown San Jose, he looked at his schedule; at eleven he had a meeting with the manager of their Beijing branch, at one he had to discuss the budget with Al, and at five there was that super important meeting with Oracle’s executive manager. As usual, the day promised to be awfully tense. For nearly eight years, Craig had been working in the corporate world. He couldn’t complain because his salary paid the bills and fed his three-member family. He smiled at the thought of becoming a father for a second time in six months. What worried him was that he couldn’t spend enough time with his family. Sometimes he worked thirteen- or fourteen-hour days, and he was almost never at home before eight in the evening. For the last few years, Craig had been dreaming more and more about The Four Hour Workweek: he would do only the essential work with a couple of virtual assistants taking on part of his duties and, most importantly, he’d be an angel investor in the new Buffer or Uber. But now, he had to provide for his family and he couldn’t invest even the minimum amount of capital in risky endeavors. That was why he was putting up with his current lifestyle and workload.

  He parked his car next to the other managers’ cars in front of Cisco’s office and got out. He was just about to lock it when a small photograph fell on the ground. He picked it up and recognized his old friends from The Jackal: Ashley, Wayne, Chad, and himself. It had been taken several years before. They had already given up on their dream to become the “new rock stars.” Craig examined the photograph more closely – all of them seemed to be smiling and looked more positive than he remembered from their last meeting. When the photograph had been taken, Ashley hadn’t yet given birth, Craig looked younger – he’d just got engaged, and Wayne hadn’t had the anchor beard he was wearing these days. The only one who seemed unchanged was Chad. Craig wondered what Chad was doing now, and then lifted his eyes and headed for the office. Well, he’d find out in a few hours, anyway.

  Chapter 4

  “Okay, good, now turn a bit to the right… good. And look at me seductively… Excellent! I want you to express innocence. Narrow your eyes and…” The sound of shots taken one after another echoed around the studio. “Perfect! Don’t move! You look so sexy that you turn me on; imagine what you’ll do to the straighties out there.” Chad managed to snap one more photograph before his cell phone started vibrating in his back pocket.

  “I’m sorry, Sidney, would you excuse me?” He took the phone out. “Yes?”

  “Mr. Keeney, I’m calling to remind you about your meeting with the guys from The Jackal. I can see ‘27th June, eight o’clock, Gordon Biersch’ marked in your calendar. You’ve marked it as ‘high priority.’”

  “Oh, yes, thanks, Claire. I appreciate it. I was completely engrossed, and if you hadn’t reminded me, I’d surely have forgotten.” Chad ended the call and hurried to finish the photo shoot. During the conversation, the girl had been standing and waiting with a bored expression, wearing only panties.

  After an hour, Chad had some free time, so he called his boyfriend.

  “Hello?”

  Chad immediately recognized Martin’s voice.

  “Baby, how are you?”

  “Well, I’m having a row with your cat. He won’t let go of my cashmere wool sweater.”

  “I’m glad you two are having fun. Listen, tonight I won’t be able to attend your rehearsal…”

  “I knew it! I’m always uncrowned by some anorexic model! I’m starting to get really jealous. What makes me less important than them?”

  “Martin, this has nothing to do with my work. I’m seeing my old buddies from my former band.”

  “Yes, of course you’d rather see them than come and watch me at the theater! I’ve been talking you into this for weeks and when you finally agree, you come up with this
thing about your schoolmates.”

  “Friends, not schoolmates,” Chad corrected him.

  “Whatever! Tell me, is it too much to ask for my boyfriend to come and watch me during my dress rehearsal?”

  “Baby, tomorrow I’ll do my best…”

  “‘Baby, I’ll do my best.’ I’ve heard this a zillion times… No! Garfield, let go of my sweater! It’s not a toy for you to play with, come here!”

  Chad waited a while and then added: “I’ll make sure I come home before midnight. If you go somewhere with your colleagues after the performance, call me.” He ended the call, leaving his boyfriend to chase the cat. He tried to picture them – they must have looked ridiculously funny. Despite Martin’s reaction, Chad had to go; he owed it to his old friends. Besides, this year marked ten years since the unlucky showcase that had changed the fates of all four of them. He’d always thought that if the producer had approved them during that showcase, everything would have developed in a completely different way. Most probably he wouldn’t have been working as a freelance photographer in San Francisco… Who knew? But then again, which song had they been supposed to perform in order for the audience to have liked them and for them to have signed a contract? Chad shook his head. These thoughts were pointless – one had to live here and now.

  Chapter 5

  “Good evening, ladies. Do you have a reservation?”

  Ashley gave the waiter a piece of paper with a number written on it. He took it and, after a second, he showed them to the table that Craig had reserved a week before.

  “Would you like anything to drink?”

  “I’d like a soda with lemon.” Ashley left her bag on the table and opened the menu.

  “I’d like a scotch,” Peggy added without thinking.

  The waiter started to the bar. During this time, Peggy was nervously looking at the door of the restaurant. The table they were sitting at overlooked the whole place. Ashley picked a margherita pizza and while waiting for the waiter to come back saw Chad, who was just coming in.