xxxxxx

Slowly and with caution, Gilligan tip-toed back into camp. The first person he ran into was Skipper, and as usual, he literally ran right into him; he must have been too focused on his own feet to have paid any attention to what or who was straight ahead. Even though he had been moving at quite a slow pace, the impact caused Gilligan to fall back, resulting in him landing on the semi-soft sandy ground. Without even bothering to stand up, Gilligan sighed and looked up at the Skipper.

"Hello there, Gilligan," the Skipper reached down and grabbed Gilligan's hand firmly then pulled him up so he was standing on his own two feet again.

"I'm sorry for bumping into you," Gilligan said, wondering why he had to be the person to bring it up this time. Usually when Gilligan collided into the Skipper, the Skipper would have been yelling at him before he even hit the ground.

"Don't worry about it, little buddy," the Skipper smiled.

Gilligan frowned. He hoped the genie had interpreted his wish correctly. Skipper wasn't being his normal self. Gilligan liked to not be yelled at, but he didn't want Skipper's personality to change. A part of Gilligan needed someone to be critical of him. He needed someone to keep him in order. Not all the time, but some of the time at least. If everyone just let Gilligan do whatever he wanted all the time, who knows what trouble he'd get into... "Aren't you a little mad that I don't ever watch where I'm going?" Gilligan asked.

"Well, sure," the Skipper told him, "I mean, I'm not mad... you do need to watch where you're going, but it was an honest mistake. No harm done. I guess I'm just in a good mood. Remember how the Professor and I have been arguing? We finally agreed to let bygones be bygones and forget about it. Everyone makes mistakes, and that includes me, you, him, Mary Ann, Ginger, The Howells... We all just decided to let it go and be friends again. Isn't that great?"

Gilligan smiled. He wished he could have been there to see them suddenly completely forgive each other like that. He was surprised even the genie's magic could get the stubborn Professor and Skipper to put their differences aside and forgive each other.

"Everyone likes each other again? Mr. Howell isn't mad at the Professor either? Mary Ann and Ginger don't think you're too mean to me?" Gilligan asked, trying to be sure that the wish had actually been fulfilled.

Skipper nodded, "We've all got to live on the island together. We might as well stop fighting with each other."

Gilligan wanted to laugh. Skipper was acting so strange. He knew it was only temporary. This is the way Skipper would be if he thought like Gilligan did all the time. Gilligan was always blissfully happy, always looking on the bright side of things, and always trying to make the best out of any situation. For now, the Skipper was thinking along the same lines, but only because the genie had to do something to make everyone suddenly forgive each other. Likely, the rest of the castaways would find themselves in a similarly blissful mood. In time, they would all return to their normal selves, but for now, everyone would likely be looking on the bright side of things.

While he had the Skipper's attention, and while the Skipper was in a good mood, Gilligan decided to try to figure out what he could wish for that might benefit the Skipper too, "Skipper?" Gilligan asked, "if you could wish for anything to make life on the island better, what would it be?"

"Well, gee, I don't know," the Skipper pondered, "maybe better food. I would do just about anything for a steak."

Gilligan smiled. That was pretty simple. It was amazing that one of the Skipper's greatest desires was to have a steak. For such a seemingly demanding man, he would be pretty easy to please, "Out of everything in the world?" Gilligan asked, "that's what you'd want the most? A steak?"

"Well, I mean, it would be nice to have a million dollars or something, but we're on an island. Money would be worthless. As long as I'm here, I guess nice food would be the most practical thing to wish for," the Skipper explained, "you can eat a steak no matter where you are. You can't do anything with money here."

"Tell that to the Howells," Gilligan laughed.

Skipper smiled, "they are a loony bunch, aren't they?"

Gilligan nodded, "Speaking of which, I need to go talk to them," he said, "I'll see you around... and thanks for not being mad at me for running into you."

Skipper nodded, "Sure thing."

Mr. and Mrs. Howell were sitting at a table that was placed outside next to the huts. They each had a fancy looking drink which Mary Ann had probably made for them, and they were discussing some sort of money thing. Gilligan didn't really understand stocks and whatnot, and definitely didn't care.

"Hello," he greeted them, plopping down in a seat next to Mr. Howell, "Whatcha doin?"

"Oh, hello there, Gilligan," Mr. Howell looked over, "we're discussing the stock market. I daresay it's most difficult to buy and sell stocks out here."

Gilligan nodded. He could see how that might be true. Of course, it was probably equally difficult to buy stocks with monopoly money... but he didn't really know anything about it... maybe Mr. Howell was actually talking about buying stocks on Monopoly. Gilligan didn't think the game had that feature, but maybe he just hadn't noticed it before.

"What about you, Gilligan?" Mrs. Howell asked, "what are you doing? I trust you're feeling better. You look well. Skipper said you had a nasty dream this morning. I had an awful dream once. I couldn't find my purse. Dreadful."

Gilligan smiled, "Yeah... I'm feeling great. I just wanted to ask you a question... both of you."

"Ah, go ahead, dear boy. We're all ears," Mr. Howell offered.

"Okay... Well, this is just one of those questions that's not really based off anything real, okay? I mean one that is like a 'what if' question," Gilligan started.

"A hypothetical question?" Mr. Howell suggested.

Gilligan shrugged, "maybe," he wasn't really sure, "if you could have any wish at all, what would it be?"

"Oh, that's easy," Mrs. Howell answered right away, "another mansion, twelve butlers, extravagant jewelry, fine cuisine..."

"Um... I mean, something that you'd like that would make living here better," Gilligan amended.

"Well, it's really the same either way," Mrs. Howell told him, "I think a mansion would be a fine addition to the landscape. And we could really use some butlers. Mary Ann makes a nice drink, and you're helpful too, Gilligan, but there's only so much you two can do."

Gilligan frowned. He didn't want to wish for a mansion. The upkeep would be impossible, "What about you, Mr. Howell?"

"An extravagant social event might be nice," he said, "how about it, Lovey?" he asked his wife, who nodded in agreement as he continued, "we could get all dressed up, dine on fine cuisine, like you suggested... Nice music, expensive wine... And my wish would be that it wouldn't cost me a penny. Not that money would be an issue, of course," he added, patting a pocket on his jacket, which was overflowing with a rainbow of small paper bills.

Gilligan nodded, "that does sound fun," he agreed. He could probably work the Skipper's wish and the Howell's into one. A party with nice food and nice wine. Now he just needed to figure out what Ginger, Mary Ann, and the Professor would like, "Well... I'll leave you alone so you can get back to talking about stocks," he told them.

Next he made his way to the girls' hut. He knocked, just in case they weren't properly dressed. He didn't want to just barge in and see something he didn't want to see. They would be offended, and he would certainly be embarrassed and disturbed.

Ginger opened the door, "Hello," she greeted him, "what brings you here?"

"Hi," Gilligan responded, "I just wanted to ask you and Mary Ann a question. A 'what if' kind of question."

"You mean a hypothetical question?" Mary Ann asked as she walked up behind Ginger, "go ahead."

"If you could wish for anything to make life on the island better, what would you wish for?" Gilligan asked.

"Is this about that genie you were talking about before?" Mary Ann asked, "I told you I'm no good at make-believe... but I guess I can probably think of something... Hmmm... let's see... something to make life on the island better..."

While she was thinking, Ginger answered, "Definitely more outfits. I've been wearing this same dress over and over again. It's definitely out of fashion by now, and nothing in the fashion world is worse than wearing the same dress over and over again. It's scandalous that I've even worn it more than once," she frowned, sticking her lower lip out in a pouting expression, "If my friends could see me now... They'd probably disown me."

That fit in with the Howell's wish too. With any luck, an extravagant party with fancy clothing, food, and whine would fulfill everyone's desires. It was Mary Ann and the Professor who might not fit the mold though... especially the Professor. He wasn't very social. A party might not be his forte. He'd probably want some lab equipment or something.

"I'm sure your friends would still like you," Gilligan assured her, "it shouldn't matter what you wear... It's your personality that matters."

"Trust me Gilligan," She said, looking serious, "it matters very much what I wear..."

Gilligan shrugged, "okie dokie... what about you, Mary Ann?" he asked, turning toward her, "what would you wish for to make the island better?"

"I really don't know, Gilligan," she told him, "the most important things in life are friends, family, food, shelter... We have all of those things already. Our huts are actually surprisingly durable... I can't think of anything we really need... Growing up on a farm, I've always been taught to focus on what I need, not what I want... but as I grew up, I realized that the things I need are often times the things I want too."

"Wow, Mary Ann," Gilligan was impressed, "that's a really good answer."

Ginger scoffed, "you're far too easy to please, Mary Ann. There are so many things that would improve life on this island... More clothing, shampoo, air conditioning, sunglasses... I could go on forever..."

"Well, I suppose Ginger is right. Those things would improve life here. Life here is great, but of course there's still room for improvement. So I guess some shampoo would be nice. Its hard to feel clean around here," Mary Ann finally decided, "so my wish would be for shampoo."

Gilligan smiled. People thought he was an irrational goofball... Mary Ann was the goofball... out of everything in the world, what she wanted most was shampoo... He frowned. Shampoo didn't fit with the party theme. He would have to think of a way to fit it into the same wish, "I'll see you girls later," he said, "I've got to talk to the Professor now."

"Don't let him talk you into trying any more medicines," Mary Ann warned him.

Gilligan nodded. He didn't think the Professor would do that again. He had seemed rather sorry about doing it the previous time.

He knew the professor would probably be in his hut. Out of everyone on the island, the Professor spent the least amount of time outside. The time he did spend outside was usually in collecting resources for his experiments and medicines.

Gilligan knocked on his hut door.

"Come in," he heard the Professor's voice.

"Hello, Professor," Gilligan greeted him, "can I ask you a hypothetical question?"

The Professor looked up. He looked sort of surprised, "I didn't know you knew that word, Gilligan," he commented, "go ahead."

Gilligan smiled. He hadn't known that word until today. Now he felt very smart for using it and impressing the Professor, "Okay, if you could wish for anything in the world to make life on the island better, what would you wish for?" Gilligan asked.

The Professor pondered for a brief moment, "I suppose I'd have to wish for a wider assortment of protein-rich foods. You see, living on the island, our diets are lacking in protein. Our calorie intake is mostly fruits. In order to stay as healthy as possible, and thus live longer, more protein is necessary," the Professor explained.

"Like chicken?" Gilligan asked.

"Yes," the Professor told him, "meats, nuts, legumes... they all contain protein."

"Are you wishing for that because you'd actually want it, or just to be smart?" Gilligan asked. He wanted to be able to wish for something that the Professor actually wanted, not for something that he felt was a smart science type thing to wish for, "wouldn't you rather have neat-o science lab stuff or a scientist coat or something?" Gilligan asked.

"I already have all of the science things I need, Gilligan. That's the good part about living on this island. There are so many useful natural resources. I don't need a lab coat... Protein would be the most logical thing to wish for if I was given that option."

Gilligan shrugged, "Okie dokie. I've got to go... I'll see you later."

Gilligan started off toward the genie's cave once more. He needed to make a wish that would reflect everyone's desires. A party where everyone could dress up all fancy-like, delicious food, including lots of protein(such as steak, Skipper's wish), nice drinks, and of course... shampoo for Mary Ann... He would have to ask the genie how he could go about sorting that all into one wish... He wasn't sure if wishing for tons of things and trying to smash it all into one wish was allowed. But he'd know soon...

xxxxxx

I only sort of proof-read it. :D

One more chapter ought to do it. (ha. Oh my gosh. I wrote "ought!" he he he!)