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I was working on another story while listening to "Your Little Secret" via the AppleCD Player when one of those irresistable ideas hit me and I just had to write it first. Unfortunately this one probably requires you to be familiar with Melissa Etheridge's music to fully enjoy it - but then if you aren't familiar with it her music you are depriving yourself needlessly.
This one can be posted elsewhere, which will not be by default.
Cut here ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- The old wizard cursed himself for his clumbsiness as he surveyed the back room. A powerful wishing powder had been spilled and now contaminiated the entire room. Anyone having contact with it might have deep wishes granted in unexpected ways. To make matters worse he sensed that a new customer with some rather interesting potential would be arriving in about five minutes.
Fortunately he had recently been saddled with a new employee, the son of the Mall Manager. Unfortunately the woman was on to him, and was getting quite specific about slowing down the rate of new Bimbos.
Of course, she didn't want to shut him down completely, after all Bimbo's did buy more clothes at the mall than the typical teenage boy.
But she had insisted on some rather strong protection spells for her son. No involuntary changes. No changes into animals. No changeing into a Bimbo...
Which actually meant that the boy could clean up the room. He called him back and explained that the room had to be mopped down thoroughly. Fortunately the powder lost all effectiveness when washed with ammonia.
As he finished giving instructions the old wizard noticed that the lad had a portable CD player and earphones. "Were you going to be listening to that while cleaning?"
"Cut me some slack" Mel groaned "It's just a Melissa Etheridge album. I mean even if a customer hears a peep through my earphones she isn't exactly offensive. I leave the hard stuff at home."
"A wise choice,and generally there wouldn't be any problem" the old wizard assured him. "I actually listen to far more Pop music than you would believe for an old geezer such as myself. But I really need to check the titles and lyrics. Just to be safe."
The lad's eyes rolled as he handed over the CD and its Jewel case. The old wizard examined the title list. Several of the song titles suggested risk for playing in a room contaminated with wishing powder: the title track "Your Little Secret", "I Could Have Been You", "An Unusual Kiss" and even just simply "Change". He should really read the entire lyrics, but the print on the lyrics section was far too small.
"Do you know the lyrics these songs, Mel?" he asked.
"You mean like other than the chorus? Get real"
The old wizard ignored the unspoken "old geezer" as he considered whether he had the time to listen to the lyrics himself - but no, he had to get back to the front of the store as that he sensed someone would arrive in just four minutes.
"Do any of these songs involve wishing for changes?" he demanded.
Mel screwed his face as he considered the odd question. "No, not that I can think of, they're mostly about her singing about how much she loves and needs her guy. 'I want to come over', 'I just want to touch you', stuff like that."
"Very well, Mel" the old wizard handed the CD back. "But you really should listen to all of the song. Finding meaning in the lyrics is one of the great joys in appreciating music. And from the packaging of this CD I'd guess that this 'Melissa Etheridge' puts at least as much work into her choice of lyrics as into its dance beat."
"Actually it's Julie's CD" Mel explained. "I was going to return it it to her after work. We'll be going ..."
"No need to explain" the old wizard interrupted Mel. Julie met him after work each and every single day. Indeed it was a relationship that Mel's mother must have approved of, for the second protection spell she had insisted on for Mel was one to protect Mel and Julie relationship.
Just then that customer arrived and the old wizard was off to the front of the store. Mel settled in and started cleaning the room while listening.
As much as Mel would hate to admit it however, he was soon actually listening to some of the lyrics. "I Want to Come Over" had always been one of his favorites. Melissa sang so fervently about her secret lover, and wanting to bring it out in the open. But he had never noticed the part about "I know your friend, you told her about me". That was strange, why would this guy have another lover who he was planning on dumping, and yet have a platonic girl friend he could confide in. That's a lot of women for one guy to deal with.
But as he kept working that line of thought was lost and he was caught up singing along to the chorus
I Want to Come Over, to hell with the consequence
You told me you love me, That's all I believe
I Want to come over
Mel sponged up the powder wondering what it was, and thinking wistfully of the song. You couldn't listen to the song and not feel her deep and abiding love for her partner. That was the only problem with his relationship with Julie. That got along great, even had great sex, but Julie just never showed any great passion for Mel.
He wished Julie could be as passionate for him as the singer was for her lover in "Come to My Window."
"Good work, Melissa" the old wizard replied while pondering exactly how he was going to explain this to her mother. At least the young woman before him was a fine young woman. And while she had an attractive figure, she could in no way be considered a Bimbo.
Indeed, her tastes in clothing were exceedingly practical and comfortable compared to the wizard's usual transgendered victims. However, he doubted the teen's mother would be appeased by her daughter's reasonable taste in clothing.
At the very least his promise not to interfere with the relationship with Julie would certainly appear to be broken. The old wizard was equally torn between concern on how he would explain this to the teen's mother and exactly how the protection spell could have failed.
Just then Julie entered the shop to pick up her friend. The old wizard was mildly surprised that this was still a regular rendesvous. "You two going to meet some boys together?" he asked to make smalltalk.
Julie rolled her eyes and stared deeply into Melissa's. She gave her a gentle hand squeeze. "And they don't understand what they don't see."
Melissa responded quoting back knowingly "And they look through you and they look past me."
"Pardon" the old wizard queried.
"Really" Melissa replied "I've been playing 'Your Little Secret' for a few days now. You think you'd like learn at least some of the lyrics. You can't appreciate good music unless you listen to the lyrics." * * * If this is a story, it's copyrighted to "Caitlin B." caitlinb@concentric.net . If you want to post this anywhere else, please talk to the author and get permission first. Thank you