The Hasty Wish

Inspired by the story first printed in June 2020 and a reader request!

It was a cold morning in May. I shivered as I pulled on a heavy knit pullover. By all accounts it should have been sunny, but the weather in Strawbridge is unpredictable (yet uniformly bad). In addition to being cold, I was also very nervous. It was the day of our final exams, the culmination of a year’s worth of study and  sufferance which we would trade for glory… or disgrace… Perhaps I was overdramatizing the situation. All the same, as I pulled on my oxford loafers, I felt a thrill of mingled fear and anticipation. Today, we would test our competence in math, science, and grammar: three hefty subjects that could throw their weight around my report card.

Feeling pensive and hungry, I started my fateful walk to school. Passing drab storefronts on the empty, cobblestoned main road, I found myself so absorbed in my fidgety nervousness that I nearly missed Newton’s Candies. I stopped short, staring up at the thin, tall building, sandwiched between two chocolaty brown bookstores. I found myself unsure why I was dillydallying, until I heard my stomach grumble. Candy! I’d have candy for breakfast.

Mr. Newton, a wannabe inventor who looked rather like a willowy Santa Claus, was busy repainting his shop a vibrant train-engine red. I paused. Now, I’d decided to stop for candy (I felt that I needed sugar) but he did look rather preoccupied…

Without turning around, he said, “Go ahead in, Hubert. Mrs. Newton’s at the counter.”

Astonished, I asked him how he’d known it was me.

“Reflected in the store window, son.”

Embarrassed, I hurried past and entered the store. Brightly colored boxes of sweets lined the shelves: candy-apple green, sharp royal blue, multi-colored stripes, sparkling drops in gold, silver, and purple filling glass bottles which threw rainbow reflections around the walls. Pounds and pounds of chocolate, white chocolate, and caramel weighed down the wooden racks. I tried to admire all the offerings, but I was wrapped in my thoughts about school. The sun was beginning to break through the clouds and the day’s weather seemed to be improved.

“I wish I was invisible,” I said to myself. That would be the perfect solution. I could wander wherever I pleased, no questions asked.

“I wish I was invisible,” I repeated gloomily, and scowled at a tin of vibrant chocolate covered sunflower seeds, which seemed too festive for this still-dullish day in May.

“What do you think I am, boy? A fairy godmother?”

The portly Mrs. Newton was smiling kindly at me from behind the counter, and I hadn’t realized I had spoken out loud, or that I had approached the counter. She rummaged around the shelves for a moment, with an indulgent, thoughtful expression on her face. “Here, you look tired. Not too much candy in the morning, mind. Have these for free and come back after school exams so you can properly enjoy the ones you want.”

I thanked her and took off down the street, popping the gingery yellow sweets into my mouth. The faint gingery spice and the burst of sugar in the sticky candies renewed my energy, and I walked into the school building feeling better about the exams that afternoon. I was also happier after my tasty treat, and waved cheerily at the Secretary, Mrs. Winkle. Mrs. Winkle did not wave back. I was surprised, but also late, so I suppose it was for the best that she hadn’t noticed me. Students were hurrying to reach their classrooms, and many bumped into me on my way to class. No one apologized or even looked up, and a few looked confused when I spoke up to excuse myself for running into them. I supposed that it was because everyone was stressed and dazed from exam preparation.

When I reached my classroom, I grinned at my friend Robert, and held out the last piece of the yellow sweet. He ignored me. I frowned and poked him. Robert looked startled and gazed around. I tried to get his attention and hissed his name several times but he never saw me, staring all around him stupidly.

“Hellooo, Robert,” I said, louder. “I’m right here. Yep, it’s me, the guy you’ve known your whole life, who’s holding out a bright yellow piece of candy to you.”

Robert glanced up warily. “Hubert? Is that…you?” he whispered.

I was slightly miffed. “Yes, of course! Now would you take the candy before it melts in my hand?”

Robert looked surprised as he looked at the piece of candy I was holding. “But…” he blinked and lifted his hand very slowly towards it, “why is it floating?”

That’s when I realized that I was invisible. I dropped the candy and nearly yelled in horror. I was invisible! That was why no one could see me; I was invisible!

“Hey, where are you, Hubert?” Robert reached around in the air far to my left and waved his arm around. I grabbed his shoulder and shook him. He jumped and shrieked. The students around us looked at him curiously.

“So you’re really invisible?” I nodded, but of course he couldn’t see me. I explained my story, all the way from walking to school to my feeble wish for invisibility to getting the candy.

Robert gasped. “It must be the candy! Old Newton told me last week he was making an invisibility sweet just for kicks, but I thought he was joking! Go back and ask him for help!”

Mr. Watson, the math teacher, hurried into the room. “Silence, Brown,” he said coldly, glaring at Robert with his one good eye. “Stop talking to yourself.”

“I’m not!” said Robert excitedly, “It’s Hubert Johnson! He’s invisible!”

The class tittered. Mr. Watson’s glare deepened.

“If Johnson is absent, just say so. Cease your lollygagging, Brown.”

Robert tried again to say that I was invisible. Mr. Watson didn’t believe him and simply said I wasn’t there. I tried to tell him, but he barked at Robert and told him to stop mimicking my voice. “Enough rubbish!” Mr.

Watson shouted at last. “Another word from you, Brown, and you’ll find yourself in detention for a week! Now all open your textbooks to page 17!”

All through the morning, Mr. Watson was convinced that I was absent. I knew I had to do something soon; I had to be visible for the afternoon testing. At lunch, all students went home to eat and had 20 minutes of rest before afternoon classes began. I ran back to the candy store, with my eyes on the road in case Mr. Newton was out and about. Fortunately, he was behind the counter at the store. I hurried in, frantic, banging the door and hearing the doorbell jangle behind me.

“Mr. Newton!” I cried, “Help, I’m invisible!”

Mr. Newton looked and me, and then at Mrs. Newton. “Hubert?”

Mrs. Newton nodded. “He wished to be invisible,” she said, beaming, “And I thought how better to test your new candy!”

The Newtons danced a jig for joy. “It works!” they cried, “It works!” “Hello,” I said, irritated, “hello! Hello! Excuse me! Hello! Hello!”

“Terribly sorry for the fright, Hubie!” said Mr. Newton, smiling, “here’s the antidote. We owe you some candy! Come by this afternoon!”

I had already seized the fudgy sticks he proffered and sped off down the road. As I ran, I stuffed the fudge into my mouth, gulping air between mouthfuls. As I passed the first stoplight, none of the busy bicyclists stopped for me. However, as I munched the fudge and ran on, I noticed that more and more people were reacting to me. At the second light, only 2 bicyclists seemed to stop. By the third light, traffic stopped for me just as it did for the other students walking to school.

Coat and bag flapping, breathless, red-faced and full of fudge, I arrived back at school just in time for the exam.

“Late, as usual, Johnson,” said Mr. Watson venomously, “I expect Brown is happy now though.”

Robert grinned at me. “It’s all alright?”

I nodded. “We can go to the Newtons’ after school for some proper sweets this time.”

“Right,” said Robert, “and don’t wish to be invisible, either.”

Mr. Watson trained his one good eye with fury on the class.

“Begin the exam!” 🍭