The Victim of Desire

Setup:

The stage is empty except for a lone stand in the middle of a stage with a small golden lamp resting on top. This play requires two cast members.

A man is casually walking across the stage, passes the stand and lamp without taking notice, and suddenly stops in his tracks. He turns around, picks up the random lamp, and admires the beauty in its craft. After a few seconds of contact with the lamp, a genie appears, and the man falls back in disbelief.

Man: “Wha-, wait, this can’t be! Genies are fictional! This must be some sort of trap.”

The genie laughs at the ignorance of the man. The man slaps or pinches himself and nervously exclaims,

Man: “Is this a dream? What in the hell is going on? Who and what are you?”

In a loud and booming voice,

Genie: “Why, I’m a genie of course. And you, my friend, are my next lucky victim.”

Man: “Victim..?”

Genie: “Yes. You are given 60 seconds to wish for anything you desire, and your countdown begins now.”

The man scrambles to his feet and begins to pace around the stage, with hand motions that describe each option he thinks of.

Man: “One wish? In one minute? It can be anything? Oh, there are so many choices! But it can’t be too hard. I can just wish for billions of dollars! I wouldn’t have to work, and I could be the richest man in the world. Yet I have had some trouble with the ladies… maybe true love is what I want more. Oh! Or I could wish for unlimited amounts of strength. How about fame? A unique talent? I’ve always been jealous of those who become famous for something they work hard to pursue. But what about ending hunger. Or genocide. Or wishing to find the cure for cancer! Can I just wish for more wishes? I didn’t know I desired so much.”

Genie: “You only have 20 seconds remaining. Choose your desire wisely.”

Man: “But any choice I make would be beneficial to my life and hopefully the lives of others. This is a once in a lifetime chance! I have to make the perfect decision! Maybe I should just wish for what would make me happiest… But that would be so selfish of me. This pressure is so much more difficult to deal with than I thought.”

Genie: “Your time is just about up. Make your wish now or you will regret your loss.”

Man: “WAIT! Can I just have another 60 seconds? I need to think this through! This wish could change everything.”

Genie: “Last chance.”

Man: “I can’t choose. Maybe this situation wasn’t meant to happen to me. I should just let someone else make the wish that fulfills their desires.”

Genie: “Your time is up.”

Man: “Fine I’ll just take action. I wish for a billion dollars.”

Genie: “But is that what you really want?”

Man: “A billion dollars is every man’s dream. Yes, that is what I want.”

Genie: “I’m sorry, but you had run out of time by the time you made your wish. You are now another victim of desire. Maybe another day, you will figure out what is most important to you. Goodbye for now.”

Man: “This is surreal…” (He trudges off the stage with anger and stress in his step.)