[ WP ] A compulsive gambler finds a genie 's bottle . Instead of taking his free wishes , the gambler has a different idea .

Caputo had been waiting well over an hour by now and was losing his patience. Even more so as he suspected that Parker had nothing to return with or worse thought he had the balls to do a runner with his money. Caputo looked at the ticking minute hand on his Rolex and vowed to himself that if parker didn ’ t return within the next minute the game was over. The hand grew ever closer passing the half minute mark and just as it was about to pass the number nine Parker burst through the door. 
 
 He stumbled into the room, out of breath and brandishing an ornament in his arms, an ornament which he held close to his chest. The room was dimly lit but he could feel the cigarette smoke entrap him. If it were n't for the lone lightbulb hanging from the centre of the roof Parker would n't be able to see the four men sitting at the poker table. Chaputo pulled out an empty seat prompting him to sit down. 
 
 He relinquished the ornament parker held ‘ So what have you brought me today? ’ 
 
 ‘ I-it's a Lamp- ’ 
 
 ‘ A lamp? ’ he chuckled, his men joined in. 
 
 ‘ Y-yes, it has value, please MR. Caputo it ’ s all I have. ’ 
 
 ‘ Tell me more. ’ 
 
 ‘ It ’ s solid gold, thousands of years old. It may not be enough to cover my debt but it ’ ll take a dent out of it. ’ 
 
 ‘ And how did someone like you acquire this. ’ 
 
 ‘ M-my Grandfather was given it as a gift during The War while serving in the middle east and since then it ’ s kinda been a family heirloom. ’ It was then Parker seen the first time Caputo ever smiled. It was almost as if his face had cracked. ‘ A family heirloom you say? Okay. ’ He threw it into the centre of the table to sit amongst the poker chips, hard cash and jewelry. 
 
 Caputo could smile all he wanted the joke was on him he would never know the true value of that lamp. Even if he discovered the magical Genie which resided in the lamp two out of three wishes had already been used. His grandfather had used a wish to cure himself of cancer only to die in a house fire three weeks later trying to save his wife. His father was next to use it. He wished for superpowers and after years of being permanently invisible went mad and killed himself. Parker had always been tempted to use the last wish. A wish that cleared him off his debt, that got his house back and his family but he was weary of the consequences, always weary. 
 
 As parker looked at the hand he was given, all the men one after the other declared they were out all but Caputo. He glared parker down from across the table ‘ So Parker… Are you in or not? ’ He looked at his hands one last time and took a leap of faith ‘ I ’ m in. ’ he said. ‘ Straight flush. ’ Caputo revealed with a grin. ‘ Royal flush. ’ parker retorted. His opponent stared glassy eyed as he watched the jackpot drag away from him but he was in no way inclined to back down he wanted his money back and that lamp. Unfortunately for him Parker had no intentions of backing down either. Round after round Caputo was beaten again and again to the point Parker was cleared of his debt and £400,000 up, he had no reason to stay any longer. 
 
 ‘ Wait, parker, just one more game. ’ It was odd hearing someone else say that. 
 ‘ No thank you. ’ He wasn ’ t gon na make the mistakes he made countless times before, he had the upper hand now. Then again having the upper hand was always the best way to play poker. No, no he was n't gon na lose this money but he did n't have to gamble it all just a little. No not the money, the lamp the lamp was useless. 
 
 ‘ The lamp thats all. ’ 
 
 ‘ Okay, okay. He took off his rolex brandishing it in the air saying ‘ four grand. ’ he threw it in. Four grand for a cursed lamp, he could n't lose. 
 
 They drew their cards, both glanced at them and neither backed down. 
 
 ‘ Full house. ’ 
 
 ‘ Four of a kind. ’ 
 
 Oh well ca n't win them all. Parker stood up and left as Caputo collected the lamp and watch. ‘ Not staying for one more game? ’ No not this time. He walked out with his head high with two duffel bags stacked with cash. Outside he dropped the bags to his feet and looked to the sunny horizon. Several seconds later he picked up the bags and walked on to learn the bags were lighter, £400,000 lighter. He searched the bags frantically only to find a small piece of paper with the words ‘ Caputo I.O.U £400,000. ’
