Be careful what you wish for… because you don’t know how many wishes you’ll get

Sometime after my 13th birthday, I asked my 8th grade English teacher Miss King if I could sit in the front row of her class.  She told me she wanted to keep certain students in the front (the goof-offs, my word, not hers) and did someone put me up to this.  I said no, I just had trouble reading her handwriting from the back.

She wrote a couple sentences on the board and had me move closer until I could read them.  She said I could make the switch and gave me a note to bring home to my parents.  That night, Mom asked if I knew what it said.  I said no but I had an idea, and she said “Your teacher says you need glasses.” 

I said it wasn’t that bad, I could see better than Duke (my older brother).  Poor Duke had been wearing glasses since he was 5 years old, I was 13 now, a teenager!  I got my eyes examined anyway and a couple weeks later, on a Friday after school, got my first pair of glasses.

I liked them right away--everything was so CLEAR.  But as the weekend drew to a close, I dreaded the thought of Monday and wearing them to school.  We had some flurries Sunday night, and as I stood there watching the swirls, wished out loud we’d get enough snow to make tomorrow a “Snow Day” and no school. 

Sure enough, the next morning we awoke to a good foot of snow on the ground and the radio reporting all school districts were closed.  My sister said “Well, you got your wish!” and the thought occurred to me:  What if somehow I had a wish waiting to be granted and I just blew it on a snow day?

That’s not just me, right?  Making a wish, seeing it come true and wondering if you just wasted a real one?  Well, it just happened again.

Wednesday morning, I’m waiting at the elevator to go downstairs and get my mail, when along comes my neighbor Opal carrying a trash bag.  I ran over to open the trash room door but Opal said she was taking it downstairs to the dumpster out back—it’s kitty litter. 

I asked her what her cat’s name was again, she said “For the 20th time, it’s Razzles.”  I made a frown, and she said “I know, it hurts your jaw to say it!”  We both laughed and began chatting, and when the elevator stopped at the lobby, I stayed on and rode down with her to the basement slash parking garage (and dumpster outside).  As we headed back in, to the right was a gray, dented metal door: the infamous “Party Room”.

Across the front, it has these black & gold letters—the type you see on rural mailboxes.  PARTY ROOM

I ask Opal, have you ever been in there?  She says no, have you?  Nope.  We get on the elevator, ride it to the lobby, collect our mail—here comes Dave, a retired math teacher (and truth be told, my favorite tenant in the building).  A lifelong bachelor, Dave is 79 and paralyzed on the right side from a stroke several years ago.  Opal says “Here’s your chance, ask Dave--he’s lived here longer than anyone.”  Dave stops his shuffle and says “Ask me what?” 

I asked him if he’s ever been in the infamous Party Room in the basement.  Dave stood there a moment, stroking his chin and said “I’ve lived here…. 1981… 1991… 40 years this summer.  I’ve never been inside.  But I understand… Jehovah’s Witnesses… used to meet in there.”  I said “Really?  I wonder what happened to them.”  Dave said “Doug… I don’t think they ever left.”   

The look Opal gave me almost made me laugh and I said “Well, I can show you guys a picture of it, I saw it on their website a couple years ago.  But it kills me that this room is down there and no one uses it.  I wish they’d put some exercise machines in there and make it an exercise room.”   Opal said “Well, ask them!”  and I said “Fine I will!”

(From the Steiner website, the Party Room—dig that red piano)

Friday morning, I am sitting here on my sofa, eating a bowl of cereal and watching Morning Joe, my phone rings.  It’s Opal.  She says “I know it’s early, but are you busy?”  I said no and she says “Jesse just called me from her car, she says we should head down to the basement today and have a look.”

(Jesse is Opal’s 33 year old daughter, who lives with her mom.  She works downtown and parks in the underground garage.)  I tell Opal to give me 20 minutes to clean up and I’ll meet her at the elevator at 9am.

We meet up, get on the elevator.  I ask “What’s going on?”  Opal laughs and says “You got me!”  We ride it all the way down to the basement.  When we get off, directly to our right, we see this:

Both our mouths dropped.  Two days ago, this was the door to the Party Room.  I jiggled the doorknob but it was locked.  Opal said “Did you call them on Wednesday and ask for this?”  I said “Yes Opal, they didn’t waste any time did they—no I didn’t call!” 

We came back upstairs, I asked Opal if she’d let me be the first to tell Dave and she said “Have at it, I know you like that kook” and we laughed again.  I told her I’d contact Steiner and find out what was going on, but when I came back inside my apartment and turned on my laptop, I’d already received an email from them.

From: Steiner Realty West
Sent: Friday, May 21, 2021 9:26 AM
To: edougmorris@gmail.com 
Subject:  Tiffany Fitness Center Opening Announcement

The Tiffany Fitness Center is ready to go & will be open Wednesday, May 26th, 2021!!! 

It’s location is the old party room on the basement level of the building.  Coming off the elevator it is on the right side near the door to the garage. 

The Fitness Room will always have a locked door. It will be available 24/7 to Tiffany Residents only.

It goes on to say that no family, children or other guests are permitted entry, we have to submit a waiver to get our own key, the machines will be cleaned twice daily, etc.  I can’t believe it.  I also can’t believe that TWO DAYS AGO I WISHED FOR IT.  Is this that Snow-Day wish all over again?  C’mon, this is some coincidence!

I’m grateful Steiner did this.  I’m anxious to see what’s in there, and begin a daily exercise regimen.  But if I knew this was a REAL wish, I’d be Tom Cruise or Daniel Craig right now.

Maybe I’ve got a third wish waiting to be granted… don’t they come in threes?  I’m going to be very careful what I wish out loud for next!