Chapter 1

Friday, August 3rd

Wishes may be many things. Many times, they are people’s undoing. I don’t know if my wish could be considered my misfortune, or if it would better be regarded as my fulfillment. What I do know is that it changed my life.

I suppose I should introduce myself. I was born William Joel Peterson; I was the third of three brothers; there were no sisters. We lived in Trenton, which is a moderately sized town in Western Oklahoma, up near the panhandle.

Our parents were professional white-collar workers, but they came from modest homes. So, while they were loving and took good care of us, and gave us plenty of love and support, they made sure we knew the value of hard work. Not that hard work ensures you do well in life.

We were expected to do well in our studies, take part in sports (we could choose which one(s)), and engage in Scouts. They wanted us to be well-rounded individuals.

My sport of choice was Soccer. I found that I was a pretty decent goalie. I cannot claim that I never allowed a ball to get past me; I can say that very few did, while my team racked up the score against most of our competition.

I was a bit of an early bloomer, as far as boys went. I started my growth spurt when I was 12, right along with the girls. By the time I was 14, I had already reached 5’10” in height. Between working on a friend’s farm, on those days we didn’t have practice, working out in the school gym, and eating well, I had a figure that had the girls very interested in me -- a fact that I took advantage of when I could.

I never promised that I was going to date them, but they expected that after giving up their tight little bodies to me that they’d be my girlfriend. Needless to say, I got a reputation. And, not necessarily a good one. What no-one knew was that I was not exactly a straight shooter. What I mean by that is that I was Bi, rather than straight. I did manage to have a torrid interlude with one cute guy in school. It lasted a weekend, over the summer between my 8th and 9th grades. We shared a tent at the BSA Jamboree.

I learned a few things that weekend that had nothing to do with Scouts. I love dick more than I enjoyed pussy, but I wasn’t about to give up the pussy. By that, I mean that I found sucking cock to be a nearly divine experience. The power one has over a man while sucking their cock is impressive. I also discovered that a nice hot hard cock in the ass is nearly as good. We were both very good scouts. We’d come prepared. We both brought condoms for this weekend. While we were both sure we were clean, we did not want to take any chances. Diseases like HIV/AIDS is not something anyone wants to get. I used condoms with every girl I’ve had sex with, too.

I think that if my gay lover had been Bi, too, that we would have had an even better time if we could find a girl that was into being double and not always the meat in the sandwich. We did, as I mentioned, live in Oklahoma. My buddy and I were taking huge chances when we were enjoying ourselves at the Jamboree. You wouldn’t just get ostracized. You could find yourself beaten to within an inch of your life by people you had considered your friends, as well as being disowned and thrown out of your house by your parents.

I guess you’re wondering where this is going. I mean, I have mentioned wishes and how they can affect your life. Well, I’m getting there, my friend.

Have ever heard of a parent telling one of their children that they were a mistake? Or they had wanted a girl instead of a boy? Wouldn’t that be shocking? Can you imagine a parent coming right out and telling their child that? I don’t have to imagine it. I’ve lived it.

I was born in early August, so school is out when my birthday rolls around. My oldest brother had graduated in June and had enlisted in the Navy and was going through recruit training when my birthday came. I don’t know why, but he sent me a stuffed Navy Goat Mascot for my 15th birthday. Still, it was cute; it was from my brother, and I cherish it to this day. It’s all I have left of him. He died in the “Sandbox” as they call it. When he enlisted, he did so as part of the Navy SEAL program. There was no guarantee that you would become a SEAL, but you were guaranteed to be sent to the training at NAB Coronado, California, once you passed recruit training. Before he was sent to the Teams, he was trained as a Hospital Corpsman. His cross-training was a Comms. That’s really all I can tell you.

Back to my story: I don’t know if he knew mom and dad had wished I were a girl. It is possible. He was four when I was born, so he’d have heard it if they had said anything about it. What I do know, now, is that my mother had purchased baby clothes for a girl. I’ll never understand why, as they could have found out from the ultrasounds that mothers have been getting since the 1980s.

My other brother was working the summer harvest driving combines, which is why he wasn’t home for my 15th birthday. At 17 he could do that, but I couldn’t. So, I was home with mom and dad for my 15th birthday. They took me out to a nice dinner and then at home, they gave me the gift from Greg (my oldest brother), a card from Henry (my other brother) and a gift from them both that was passed down on my mother’s side of the family from one generation to the next.

I could not begin to guess at what it was. The package was rectangular and had a noticeable mass to it. When I opened it I was very disappointed, and they could see it in my face.

My mom came over to me and hugged me, “Billy, we understand it is not a gift you would have picked, but it is one that must be given to you. It’s a family tradition. It goes to the youngest child.”

“But, what kind of gift is this? It looks like a prop from a movie. You know, like those old Sinbad movies with the brass lamps?”

“Well, honey, I can tell you that it is not a prop, but you aren’t far off about it being a brass lamp.”

“Why would we have an old brass lamp in the family that gets passed down from generation to generation? It just seems odd.”

“Believe me, Billy. I understand. You will, too by tomorrow morning.”

I hadn’t noticed it, but dad had left the room. I’m not sure when he did, but he wasn’t there when I looked.

“What’s there to understand mom? It’s an old lamp.” Laughing, I told her, “Next thing you’re going to say is that I need to rub it and a Djinn will appear.”

The look in her eyes told me that she wasn’t kidding when she responded to my comment with, “That’s exactly what you need to do. And, yes, a Djinn will come forth, but it will not grant any wish of yours, nor mine. Well, in a way it will grant a wish of mine. You were not supposed to be born a boy, honey. If you had been born a girl, this gift would have a very different effect on you.”

“I’ve heard that you’d wanted a girl. But, you’ve never said anything to me that I can remember. Why are you telling me this now?!” I was getting upset.

“Billy, tell me, truthfully, have you ever been with another boy? Do boys turn you on?”

“Oh my god! What are you doing asking me such things!? Being gay in Oklahoma can be a death sentence, mom!”