Your wish - granted!

As long as I can remember, I have wanted to be a mannequin.  I knew it was impossible, so I just enjoyed reading stories online and pretending at home when no one was looking.  When I was at the mall the other day in the antique shop, I found this old brass lamp.  It had some writing on it, and when I tried to rub it off, Dave the Genie showed up with an offer to grant my wish.  I had read enough to know that I needed to word my wish carefully, or I might end up with something completely different.  So to make sure I got it right, I took him to the department store to help with it (after I bought the lamp - of course).

I showed him the pose I wanted and how I should match the other mannequins in the store.  I even put on an outfit from the store.  I asked, "Do you think you understand what I want now?"  He nodded, and maybe with a little annoyance for all the time spent on this one wish, "Yeah, yeah, no problem...done this a bunch of times." And with a big smile, he said, "You will not be disappointed."  Confident he was ready, I said, "I wish to be a mannequin that can turn back into a human."  I paused for a breath, which turned out to be my last. "No problem, master, I got this!"

With a flash and some sort of foreign word, I became a mannequin.  There was no tingling, no warning, no nothing.  I was stuck in a mannequin pose, wearing those new clothes and shoes, perfectly smooth and plastic.  Amazing, I tried to say, but my mouth continued to smile slightly.  Just as if he knew what I wanted, he came over and turned me around slightly.  Without any hint of resistance, I pivoted on my stiff, plastic legs.  I was completely at anyone's mercy.  Seeing my smile, he added, "Ah, another happy customer."

He moved me in front of a mirror, and there I got to see myself for the first time: a shamekaquin.  Mmm, I thought, I look so awesome!  Again, Dave must have been reading my thoughts when he said, "Well, my lovely, you are a mannequin.  And I say, a very great one at that."  Moving around me so I can see him, he continued, "The wish is simple. You can be a mannequin whenever you want.  The spell lasts 24 hours at a time, so you cannot change back until that time is up.  Of course, you can stay as a mannequin longer than that, which I suspect you will." He giggled for some reason.  "So, enjoy being a mannequin for 24 hours now, and as many times after that you want."  Again, he seemed quite pleased with himself.

As he stepped away to leave, he stopped and came back.  "Oh, and one other thing," he said as he reached over and pulled off one of my arms, "You cannot change back when you are not in one piece and the 24 hours restarts each time you come apart."  I thought I would be distressed with him holding my arm, but I wasn't.  I'm a mannequin, I thought.  And oddly enough, that thought seemed so right at that moment.  As he was about to snap my arm back on, one of the sales associates walked by.  I guess it scared him, so he set my arm down and disappeared.

That all happened about 4 hours ago.  The associate found me in the aisle just after he left and moved me to a window display.  Being picked up and moved was one of the most exciting events of my life.  It was just like I dreamed.  I did not care much for the pole she jabbed in me, but it feels fine now.  Oh, and she snapped my arm back on, or at least I think it was arm.  I guess I will find out tomorrow when I try and change back. 

So, here I stand, displaying these clothes for everyone to see.  Hmmm, I could get used to this, and besides, I am in no hurry to change back, because mannequins are never in a hurry, and I am a mannequin - a mannequin.

*** special thanks to for this great image ***