THE MOMENT
"To sum it up...," Wally started listening again; it sounded like the genie was almost done explaining the ground rules. He was alone, except for the half-corporeal form sprouted from a lamp, in the back of a dark cave. The middle-aged man enjoyed exploring nature, and he stumbled across the cave while hiking. He'd never seen it before and couldn't resist wandering in. He didn't get that far before he noticed a golden glimmer behind some stone; a few steps and one rub later, and the genie flowed out to explain how lucky Wally was. "...You must make one wish per day for an entire year - fail and everything is reverted. No altering previous wishes, no meddling with time, nothing exceeding the boundaries of this planet!"
It sounded like a lot of trouble, but during his lengthy exposition, the genie explained it wasn't something he could decline. As it happened, releasing the genie bound him to the terms of the wishes. He was in charge now, and he needed to complete 365 days of perfect wishes, or he would lose everything he'd gained. Wally's mind wandered while the genie went into detail about everything he summed up at the end and by the time the conversation reached that point, he'd already come to terms with his obligation.
"Yeah, alright," Wally nodded at the genie. "I need some time to think about it," he nodded at the golden lamp in his hand, and the genie nodded with a smile.
"Glad to hear it," the genie's smoke flowed backward into the oil's spout as he smiled at Wally. Once he was sealed within again, Wally carried the lamp with him out of the cave and back on the trail to get back home.
He normally hiked in the evenings, and the sun was already dipping below the horizon by the time he got to his car and made the drive back home. This particular time, he didn't even turn on the radio. He spent the drive thinking about his wishes and wondering if there was anything worth wishing for.
Wally was a normal man, happy with his life. He was employed, single, and living comfortably within his means. He was an outdoorsman, and any vacations were usually spent camping or hunting somewhere. He was self-sufficient, and as far as he was concerned, rather successful. He couldn't come up with anything that a genie would make better for him, and certainly nothing worth an extra year of stressing over daily wishes.
He got home, had dinner, and had a relaxing evening before getting into bed. Then, the genie woke him at 11:55 p.m.
"Master Wally, the clock's already ticking. You have five minutes remaining to complete your first wish," he said.
"Or what?" Wally had settled into a good sleep, and he was groggy at being woken up.
"Forgot already?" The genie chuckled. "If you fail to make a wish, everything is reverted. You lose everything."
"Oh darn," Wally chuckled and rolled over. "Oh well, I guess I lose."
"But.. you must make a wish..," the genie tried to remind him. "You accepted the terms...,"
"Yeah," Wally waved him away without bothering to turn around. "I accepted the terms. If I don't make a wish, I lose everything I gained, and all my remaining wishes."
The genie seethed silently for a few minutes until the clock struck midnight. The terms were officially broken, and he was returned to a dark space somewhere. Wally slept soundly for the rest of the night, and went on to enjoy a long, happy life.