Wishing Well . . . Well, Not Quite

Wishing wells and fountains are enchanting things.  The thought of throwing a coin into the water and magically getting your heart’s deepest dreams and wishes is irresistible, even as an adult.  Although my mature, logical brain insists that such magical objects are total nonsense, there is a hidden hopeful and whimsical part of my heart that has to toss in a coin and make a secret wish each and every time.

Perhaps I unwittingly passed on this love of wishing wells to my own children.  Or perhaps it is a hereditary trait.  Either way, my son and daughter are just as eager to toss a coin or two as soon as we encounter a well or a fountain.

Unfortunately, though, this shared love of ours inadvertently caused some terrible mischief a year and a half ago.  One morning, I woke up and went to the bathroom to start my normal morning routine.  However, as soon as I started using the bathroom sink, I noticed something was amiss!  Rather than going down the drain, the water was rising in the basin, higher and higher.

Turning off the water, I thought maybe my children had accidentally knocked part of a bar of soap down the drain or even gotten some toilet paper stuck.  I plunged and plunged that drain until my arms ached, but I still hadn’t made any progress.  Finally, frustrated beyond expression, I bailed out the water and called my uncle so he could bring over a pipe wrench to take the pipe apart.

That afternoon he showed up and set to work on the sink.  An hour and a half later, he came back downstairs holding a fistful of wet coins!  Immediately, I sat my children down and insisted on an explanation.  I told them that this was a serious thing--that a lot of damage could’ve been done and we don’t even own this house.  They both started sobbing, their bottom lips quivering.

My son cried, “But Mommy, we were only wishing for a new house for us.  We know you’d be so happy!”

I reached over and gave them both a big hug.  Even though they did something that was wrong, they still had the best of intentions.  I told them from now on the sink was only for water and nothing else.  If they kept everything else away from the drain, I promised I would take them regularly to the park to throw coins and make wishes in the fountain.  Without hesitation, they eagerly agreed . . . a swell ending to a story about a wishing well that was well, not quite a well!