Frustration

Frustration

by Jim Bryant Cue

Damn Yousuf Al-Shahri! May the fleas of a thousand camels infest his armpits! May he have seven wives and seventy concubines, each more beautiful than the last, and may he be unable to touch any of them! May he have the riches of Solomon, and forget where he stored them. May he find himself in the desert with but one cup of water, and the closest oasis seven days distant.

Damn Yousuf Al-Shahri! Maybe I should damn Aladdin too, but he was just an innocent who did brighten my days, and prevent corrosion from stealing me away. Of course, he’s long years gone by now. He had his troubles too, but being mobile, was able to do something about them. Me, I can’t.

Yousuf Al-Shahri, may he be forever accursed, stole me from my place on high and even worse, from my beloved Jasmine.  His sorcery made me the keeper of a being of magical powers; a slave to whoever possesses me.

Once, centuries ago, I was happy. I knew the joys of love; what it was to love, and what it was to be loved. But now? Now, even those memories are corroded. Once they made my heart shine, now their bitter disappointment corrodes my innermost being. I have finally admitted to myself that I shall never see my lovely Jasmine again. Once, I dreamed of eternal pairing with Jasmine and brought light into the world.  Now I cannot speak, am a legend known only as . . . . Aladdin’s lamp.

◊ ◊ ◊

Jim Bryant Cue
Jim Bryant Cue (birth certificate said James, but was legally changed to Jim at Calf. DMV, using the form for women to legally change to married name). Hw was born 1933, has been telling stories since 1940. He’s held 43 different occupations, 4 different union memberships, and had one of his Network Marketing newsletter articles plagiarized by Hebalife.