Stanley and the Magic Lamp - Jeff Brown [2]
“There is your answer, Stanley,” said Mrs. Lambchop. “Now back to work, please.”
“Okay, then,” said Stanley, going out.
Mrs. Lambchop laughed. “Treasure chests, indeed! Taxes! George, you are very amusing.”
Behind his newspaper, Mr. Lambchop smiled again. “Thank you, my dear,” he said.
2
The Askit Basket
“I told them, but they didn’t believe me,” Stanley said, back in the bedroom.
“Of course they didn’t.” Arthur was still under the bed. “Who’d believe a whole person could puff out of a pot?”
“It’s not a pot,” said Prince Haraz. “Now please come out. I apologize for the puffs.”
Arthur crawled from under the bed. “No more scary stuff?”
“I promise,” the genie said, and they shook hands.
Arthur could hardly wait now. “Stanley! Try a wish!”
“We can’t,” Stanley said. “Not till our homework is done.”
“What’s homework?” asked Prince Haraz.
The brothers stared at him, amazed, and then Stanley explained. The genie shook his head.
“After schooltime, when you could be having fun?” he said. “Where I come from, we just let Askit Baskets do the work.”
“Well, whatever they are, I wish I had one,” said Stanley, forgetting he was not supposed to wish.
Prince Haraz laughed. “Oh? Look behind you.”
Turning, Stanley and Arthur saw a large straw basket, about the size of a beach ball and decorated with red and green zigzag stripes, floating in the air above the desk.
“Yipes!” said Arthur. “More scary stuff!”
“Don’t be silly,” said the genie. “It’s a perfectly ordinary Askit Basket. Whatever you want to know, Stanley, just ask it.”
Feeling rather foolish, Stanley leaned forward and spoke to the basket. “I, uh … that is … uh … Can I have the answers for my math homework? It’s the problems on page twenty of my book.”
The basket made a steady huuuummmm sound, and then a man’s voice rose from it, deep and rich like a TV announcer’s.
“Thank you for calling Askit Basket,” it said. “We’re sorry, but all our Answer Genies are busy at this time. Your questions will be answered by the first available personnel. While you wait, enjoy a selection by the Genie-ettes.”
Stanley stared at the Askit Basket. Music was coming out of it now, the sort of soft, faraway music he had heard in the elevators of big office buildings.
Prince Haraz shrugged. “What can you do? It’s a very popular service.”
There was a click and the music stopped. Now a female voice, full of bouncy good cheer, came from the basket. “Hi! This is Shireen! Thanks a whole bunch for waiting, and I would like at this time to give you your answers. The first answer is: 5 pears, 6 apples, 8 bananas. The second answer is: Tom is 4 years old, Tim is 7, Ted is 11. The third—”
“Wait!” Stanley shouted. “I can’t remember all this!”
“A written record, created especially for your convenience, is in the basket, sir,” said the cheery voice. “Thanks for calling Askit Basket, and have a real nice day!”
Lifting the lid of the basket, Stanley saw a sheet of paper with all his answers on it. “Oh, good!” he said. “Thank you. Can my brother talk now, please?”
Arthur cleared his throat. “Hello, Shireen,” he said. “This is Arthur Lambchop speaking. For English, I’m supposed to write about ‘What I Want to Be.’”
“Certainly, Mr. Lambchop,” said the basket. “Just a teeny moment now, to make sure the handwriting—There! All done!”
Arthur opened the basket and found a sheet of lined paper covered with his own handwriting. He read it aloud.
What I Want to Be
by Arthur Lambchop
When I grow up, I want to be President of the United States so that I can make a law not to have any more wars. And get to meet astronauts. And I would like not to have to go out with girls who want to get all dressed up. Most of all I would like to be the strongest man in the world, like Mighty Man, not to hurt people, but so everybody would be extra nice to me.
The End
Arthur smiled. “That’s fine!” he said. “Just what I wanted to say, Shireen.”
“Good,” said the basket. “‘Bye now! Have a super day!”
The brothers called good-bye, and