It is evening now Leo is home from work tired and hungry. He's had a terrible day as usual. Humiliated and belittled by his peers. He walks into the kitchen to fix himself something to eat. He walks into the kitchen rubbing his eyes thinking to himself “What am I going to eat” he decides a sandwich will suffice. He brings out the bread, the mayo, cheese and lettuce and places them on the counter.
Alas, his meal is done and he prepares to sit and eat in silence. When he approaches the table he sees something that wasn't there before. It looks like a gold lantern, something he would never, ever buy. So he's sure it wasn't there when he left that morning. He stares at it for a while without touching it. He's tired and hungry, but the sight of this lantern unnerves him. Is this some kind of joke. Did someone break into his apartment only to place this stupid lantern on his kitchen table. He thinks for a minute. Puts his sandwich down and goes to look around.
Everything seems to be in place. And the apartment seems vacant. “Is this some kind of joke” he mutters. Who the hell would put that lantern there. He thought of his mom, but she's miles and miles away in Florida. There is absolutely no way she put that there. So, how did it get there? The neighbors? There is Mrs. B who is always trying to make small talk with him. Maybe she snuck in here with that lantern in her hand, and put it down while she went to snoop, and forgot to take it with her. But how would she have gotten in. She's only about a hundred years old.
“Okay, this is ridiculous “ he sneers and finally lifts the lantern and shakes it. Lo and behold as he shakes the lantern, smoke starts coming out while making a hissing sound. The lantern becomes hot and feels heavy. It jerks around as though something were trying to escape it. Leo fumbles around shouting “Oh God, Oh God” while trying to figure out what to do with it. The kitchen now is full of smoke and the hissing has now gotten louder. It now sounds like a shriek. Startled Leo makes his way to the balcony and throws the lantern out onto the alley in fear that it will blow. As he throws the lantern it hit's a homeless man on the head and knocks him out cold. Leo looks out the balcony onto the alley, but he can't see much due to the dark night. Leo stands out in the balcony shivering and trying to see where the lantern landed when suddenly he hears a voice shout “You idiot, I could have granted you a wish”.
