Author: waltmguire

Bedtime Stories for the Emotionally Exhausted

Fairy tales with practical results

Annika found the old teapot on the beach. As she rubbed the sand off, a Djinn popped out. “I will grant you three wishes,” he said, with great solemnity, despite all the sand in his face. 

Annika thought for a minute. “I wish for a billion dollars.”

The Djinn crossed his thick forearms and nodded his great head. “Your wish is granted,” he said, his sonorous voice reverberating in the sea air. “And your second wish?”

Annika thought for a minute, though not as hard. “Nope, I’ve got a billion dollars. I’m good.”

And she left. To live on a billion dollars. 

Full story at Inglenook Lit [June 22, 2026]

Best of 2025 Somewhere

I just discovered I made the Weekly Humorist Best of 2025. (#64 down).

I just discovered I made the Weekly Humorist Best of 2025. (#64 down).

The piece:

Corporations Count as People, and Thanks to A.I., I Am Now a Real Boy
The Weekly Humorist [March 31, 2025]

Thanks to A.I., the Fundl Corporation is now a real boy.

Many years ago, the Supreme Court ruled that corporations were people too. Thanks to A.I., the Fundl Corporation is now a real boy.

I was also in Best of 2024 and 2023.