Magic rocks my five-year-old world

I WAS given a rock as a birthday present as a child.

It wasn’t from a tight-arse relative who didn’t want to spend money.

It was actually from my parents.

It wasn’t a fancy rock, an expensive rock or even a weird rock.

It was a plain white rock which you get out of the garden.

And there it was sitting in its own little silver case.

I’m sure you now must be thinking that it all makes sense.

That my parents damaged me as a kid and that’s why my columns are a little different.

There’s other reasons for that, and it’s not Mum and Dad! But stick with me. I was horrified when I opened it.

I mean, what kind of fiveyear-old kid wants to get a rock on their own special day?

“It’s a magic rock. You get to make a wish with it,” Mum said. Magic rock? Yeah right. “It’ll magically get stuck somewhere Dad doesn’t want it to be if this continues on,” I remembered thinking. After a moment of silence Mum said: “What would you like to wish for, Ryan?” I closed my eyes and made a wish. “What did you ask for? It won’t ruin the magic,” came from Dad. “I wished for you to get whatever makes you happy,” I replied. Damn, I was a sweetheart at that age! Anyway, I think the rock was broken because I ended up getting a bike that birthday. My parents led me into the loungeroom and there it was. It wasn’t just any bike though, it was a black, purple and green speed machine I had been eyeing off for weeks at World 4 Kids.

Mum and I would go into town and I’d look at it every time.

It was perfect. And then one day I got there and it was gone. No more in stock, no more to come. I was shattered.

Turns out Mum had bought the last one and put it away.

I was the happiest kid in the world that day.

I spent the rest of the morning hooning around on my new wheels. Damn it was fast.

But the more I think about it, maybe the magic rock was magic after all? Maybe it wasn’t broken? I asked it to give Mum and Dad something that makes them happy.

Maybe, just maybe, the rock gave them me?

If that’s the case, they certainly hit the jackpot!