I Wished For This Day To Never End

The sand scraped my bum, the small grains had gotten into my shorts and not only was there sand, but I truly believed there were ants in my pants. I had been in this moment too many times to count already, but never got the opportunity to check. My older sister Anna was finishing her mad rant again, for the thousandth time. Her mind was still lingering on the fact that she did not achieve the perfect score of straight A’s last school year. She had complained about that one B all summer, though I guess the rest of summer at this point felt like it was a millennium ago.

“It was Mr. Summers, he’s a racist, it's the only reason I would get a B in that class, but HR wouldn’t listen to me and the principal wouldn’t listen to me. I bet if the roles were reversed and he was a black teacher failing a white student he’d be fired.”

I rolled my eyes. I understood her concerns and the place her remarks were coming from, but Mr. Summers, that was a serious stretch and a truly vile accusation. At this point I had already listened to this rant too many times to count.

“Anna, then why was I top of the class in Mr. Summer's Journlism 1 class? Why did he take me to Skills USA and help me get the top spot? Now look I’m not saying racist people don’t exist, but Mr. Summers, oh please, give me a break, if he's racist than our neighbor Jerry is the grand wizard of the Ku Klux Klan.”

She scoffed, “Well he seems like you know, kind of a wizard.”

She was indeed right. Jerry was an odd fellow and often wore long robes. He looked like Gandalf crossed with that crazy scientist from back to the future. Einstein if he were a sorcerer.

I knew she was ready to go back into her mad rant. She just couldn’t accept that her 9th grade brother was the favorite for once and going into senior year she couldn’t stand a B on her record, a stain on her goal of perfect straight clean A’s. She had been teacher's pet in every other class except Mr. Summers and I had heard every excuse under the sun all summer long about why that was the case. Someone was in denial. I looked at the sunset, what a shame I had to relive this moment so many times over and over again. The sun was about halfway down now and soon time would slow. Anna's mad rant would be interrupted as if god himself cranked down the speed of the world.

I looked over at my sister it was funny when it happened at least I had that much going for me. Her words began to slur, her mouth began to move so slowly. It appeared as if her facial muscles were rippling. I smiled entertained by the universe shutting my sister up. I turned back around to face the sun which now began to rise. The clock was beginning to turn back around.

I’m not going to go into too much about this process, as well, it's quite frankly boring. I’d relive the entire day backward and everyone moving and talking in slow motion.

It would take me back to that moment in the shop. Finally, I was back there. The woman smiling. Her black beady eyes twinkling with excitement and in my hands was the talisman. 

This was about as far back as time would go. So I guess I can say I haven't slept in ages. Anna and I were in some strange shop and I had wandered my way into a restricted section. A strange orb glowed at the back and I reached out my hands reluctantly. Before jumping in fright from the voice of the old lady behind me. 

“What….” She spat standing there with a shit-eating grin on her face. I looked back at her confused. The shop owner was some crazy white lady with dirty blonde hair. She was covered in wrinkles and odd tattoos. Definitely a witch of some sort. 

I opened my mouth to respond, but I guess her senile barely functioning brain started working again and she continued,“...do you wish for.”

I stared at her wide eyed. “Well for one I don’t want summer to end, or this vacation in particular.”

The old crone smiled wide revealing rotted yellowed sparse teeth and black gums. A low humming sound reverberated from her. It sounded like an attempt at laughter. 

“That…” She barked, “Is something this old crone can do for thee.”

Unfortunately, I was unable to go back to that moment. I would now just tell her she can keep her magic orb and magical wishes. 

Now, I was a trapped prisoner. 

The batty old crone gave me a toothy grin. “Enjoy,” she squawked.

Something tells me she was fully aware of what was going on and just how long I had been in my predicament. And she seemed to be enjoying herself.

“You think it's funny,” I snapped at her doing my best to scrunch up my face and look intimidating.

She just cackled.

“Jesus Tyron,” Anna cracked, “You need to calm down, don’t be so rude to this kind old woman.” 

I took one last look at her before leaving the store with Anna. She gave me another toothy grin and sly wave. Oh, yeah she was definitely enjoying herself.

Next, we were off to ice cream. Anna just insisted on getting it, I’m telling you maybe it was the voodoo magic, but nothing I did would stop her from getting that ice cream, nothing and if I broke continuity for just a moment the reel would start up again. This was always a tough part to get through because the ice cream at this place was terrible.

Anna seemed to love it, but I swear it was freezer-burned and had a stale sour taste to it. It was either lick that rocky road or be sent back to the voodoo shop to have the old crone laugh at my misery.

I went through the motions pointing to the rocky road flavor. Anna freaked out over the rainbow shit known as fruit loops. The man behind the counter began to scoop the rocky road but out of nowhere, a hand touched my shoulder. 

I jumped letting out a scream. Anna's jaw dropped.

“Jerry,” She yelled what are you doing here.

I turned to see our neighbor Jerry standing behind me.

“Why how do you do Tyron, Anna. Didn’t expect to see you guys out here in Timbuktu.”

Anna laughed, “Just our parent's idea of a vacation.”

Jerry let out a laugh, “Ah parents can always count on them to have the best ideas in mind now can’t we.”

Anna began to walk away hurry up Tyron let's head to the beach.

I was confused at this point, time was supposed to rewind back, wasn’t it?

I turned to the ice cream vendor ready to finish my order when Jerry interrupted. 

“Ah, you don’t need to eat that,” Jerry interjected, come with me.

“But, if I…”

Jerry shushed me. “Quick this way, I am well aware of the predicament you have wandered into and don’t worry you won’t reset not with me around, come let us get you some real ice cream, that place is well, overhyped fruit loops flavored, come on really?!”

Jerry led me to a strip mall on the opposite end of town. There was a sign that said “Welcome to Mr.T Towns Burgers and Ice Cream”

“Now have you ever tried Mr. T Towns?”

I shook my head. 

The old wizard scratched his chin. “Ah, ah of course you haven’t, it's not as big of a deal where we’re from, but let me tell you one day this joint is going to take over the world.

Jerry rushed forward quickly ordering before I had a chance to speak. The man readied two scoops. Jerry had a dark fudge brownie and she handed me a double scoop of Rocky Road.

I raised an eyebrow at him. “How did you..”

He nodded. “Ah, yes well rocky road is your favorite is it not?” Trust me when I saw it this here is much better than that freezer-burned crap your sister Anna takes for ice cream.

I took the cone from him the icey mist rising in the warm summer air. I took a bite and nearly died and went to heaven, the old bag of bones was right, this ice cream was incredible.

I looked up to see Jerry nodding already a few bites into his cones whipping the remnants from his chin. 

“Now,” He spoke, “I believe we have a lot to discuss.”

2

We walked together through the nearby villa garden. I kept trying to interject, but it was clear Jerry wished to finish his double fudge ice cream first. 

The man made his way down to the last thinnest part of the cone before slurping up the half-melted ice cream inside and finishing the last of it with a satisfying crunch.

He brushed his hands off and wiped his face.

“So, it seems you’ve had a bit of trouble with an old accomplice of mine, Feebie Eitenheart. Now what's in that pocket of yours.”

My hand reached into my pocket where the trinket was hidden away.

“What how did you?”

The greying man chuckled, “Because you wouldn’t be trapped in today now would you unless ol’ Feebies gave you the time stone. Come now bring it out, show it to me.”

I reached into my pocket and brought out the odd stone.

Jerry snatched it up and turned it over in his hand. He even licked it, gross.

“Hmmmmm okkaaayyyy hmmm.”

He did this for a little too long till I interrupted.

“So what's going on am I stuck in this time loop forever?”

Jerry let out a long bellowing laugh. “Hahaha no my boy of course not. This right here is a sapphire time stone and it seems to me it is currently being powered by a wish and one that currently remains unfulfilled.”

I chimed in “Unfulfilled, what do you mean unfulfilled, I’ve been trapped in this same shitty day for years now, I’m the true definition of being careful what you wish for.”

Jerry roared with more laughter before plumping himself down on a wooden bench. He tapped it come here Tyron take a seat.”

At this point, I wasn’t sure if he was toying with me or if he was serious. Maybe he was just here enjoying my misery, I didn’t know how this time warp thing worked, for all I knew the rest of the world had continued on moving and I had been replaced by a replica of myself. Jerry had finally noticed something was up and somehow found his way into my time prison. To help me? I wasn’t so sure.

I sat down Jerry let out a few more chuckles before becoming serious. “Now in all seriousness, my friend tell me, what was your wish?”

I nodded out of part of my life outside this time warp that was still fresh in my mind it was the lead-up to the situation I was in right now.

“I wish for this vacation to never end.”

Jerry rubbed his chin and twirled the ball around in his other hand.

“Be specific lad, really specific, exact wording, this magic works in weird ways.”

I nodded, “My exact words were Well for one I don’t want summer to end, or this vacation in particular.”

I looked over at Jerry to see him smiling down at me.

“Seems like a fitting wish for a young man your age and makes sense why you’re still here, you have yet to fulfill your wish.”

“Fulfill my wish,” I laughed, “yea it's a nightmare, I don’t want it anymore.”

Jerry stood up now pacing around the garden. “No, not quite you see the wish came from somewhere, that somewhere is still empty and yearning for fulfillment. You see you’re young, but old, a huge turning point in your life is now. That wish was the child in you yearning to stay young forever, but you can’t do that and that is why you are stuck like this. Nobody wants to be young forever, to never change to never grow, to never experience. What you really want is to live and to experience and to have this day, this last gasp of that era of your life to have meaning. Go forth now and feel everything, do everything you want, your sister is at the beach she dragged you along and you shumbled over with her, take your time she’ll be there for a couple hours. See people for who they are, we live in an incredible place and time, and everyone has something to offer for anyone willing to look.”

I sat there eyes wide dumbfounded. I had lived in Groundhog Day for years just for my cooky neighbor to show up out of nowhere and lecture me. What was this?!

“Easier said than done, for I’m weary, I have not slept for years I have levied this day so much that I don’t think I can find joy in it again.”

Jerry nodded, “Ah, I know don’t worry I have just the thing,” he came up to me and put his hand on my forehead. “Now close your eyes, and when you open them all those days will be as if they were a dream, you will be well rested I shall be gone and you will have the entire day ahead of you.”

I did as he asked reluctantly. Scoffing, this was some kind of joke. I wanted to say something snarky to him, but before I could react I felt a rush of energy and then the encompassing feeling of sleep. It all passed in a matter of seconds. I opened my eyes again to find I was standing alone in the garden. The small ball lay on the ground I picked it up and in an instant it all hit me. I felt well-rested, it felt as if the time warp and the thousands of days spent living the same day over and over were nothing, but a dream.

3

I took my time walking down to the beach after that. I made sure to stop along the way and just talk to people. I actually opened my eyes to what was around me. I felt the sand, the water. I tasted the food and actually heard the sounds and the voices around me. For all that time I had spent in the loop which now felt like a short moment though I knew it was actually years I had never taken the time to just experience.

And after all that I found myself back there on the shore with my big sister. The sand yet again scraping my bum and I found myself wondering again, were there actually ants in my pants? Anna was going on her rant again about the B in Mr. Summer's class.

“You should let that go, Anna,” I said. My sister turned to me. A deep look of confusion on her face.

“What,” She stammered looking at me wide-eyed.

“It's in the past now, We have so much to look forward to. Everything is a learning experience, I mean just look at today, did you get an A in surfing?”

She was taken aback, “Well that's surfing, not school.”

“So I interjected, is it any less important, any less meaningful. Look back on Mr. Summers class, did you learn something, you’re my big sister you’re smart I know you tried your hardest, what did you learn from that experience?”

She was looking at me as if I had sprouted two heads and started speaking in tongues.

“Did you hit your head or something,” Anna said gasping, “Or did crazy neighbor Jerry give you drugs, holly shit he gave you drugs!”

I laughed. “Nope, no wild hallucinogenic drugs here, just a realization that's all. I always thought I wanted to stay this way forever, but what I really want to stay and never change is the ability to grow and to learn and to experience, heck do freshman year all over again I’m sure I could beat you and get all As, but what would be the point.”

My sister just kept staring at me wide-eyed, she definitely thought I had smacked my head or was on drugs.

You know maybe when we get back home I should pay Jerry a visit. I was interested to learn more about this mystical stuff. I turned back around to the sunset just in time to see it disappear beyond the horizon.