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Whistling as he walked, Gilligan felt rather happy. Despite the fact that he was on his way to share his final visit with his good friend genie, he still was filled with a warm feeling of happiness. The party he had wished for had been wonderful. Everyone had a great time, and only one person figured out his genie secret, and she pinkie swear promised not to mention it to anyone else... Not that it would matter much, because the genie would be gone soon; either everyone would think he was crazy or they would think Mary Ann was crazy... maybe both.
As he crawled into the cave, Gilligan frowned. Regardless of the happiness he felt for the fun party he had just shared with his friends, he couldn't mask the sadness he felt in having to say goodbye to his newest friend.
Before opening the bottle for the last time, Gilligan sighed. He had brought with him today a piece of paper the Professor had made out of a certain kind of tree, and a pen the Howells had brought with them for whatever reason. Old men almost always had a pen handy, and Mr. Howell was no exception. And Gilligan had no trouble getting the slightly intoxicated old man to lend him the pen.
It was Gilligan's intention to write a note and send it with the genie for the next person who found the genie to read, but he wasn't sure what to write. He sat in the deepest chamber of the cave, with only the shiny bottle illuminating the darkness. He stared down at the paper, thinking of what he could possibly write that would do the genie justice. He wanted to somehow tell the next person how special the genie was, and emphasize how lucky they were to have found him, but of course, that person would see for him or herself how lucky they were when the genie emerged and granted them wishes. There was no need for Gilligan to tell them what they could plainly see for themselves...
He put the paper and pen into his back pocket. He could write the letter later, or not at all. Instead, he popped the cork of the bottle, for the last time. Gilligan watched as the genie swirled out of the bottle. The genie looked sort of sad, but also somehow happy.
"I trust your party went well," the genie smiled down at Gilligan.
He nodded, "everyone really enjoyed it. And so did I. Willy even had a nice time," Gilligan smiled and turned to see if Willy had followed him. He hadn't. Gilligan frowned. This meant after he threw the genie's bottle into the ocean, he'd have to walk back to the camp all alone, even while he felt sad. Gilligan didn't like feeling sad, especially having to feel sad with no one there to be with him.
"I'm very glad to hear it," the genie told him.
Gilligan sighed, "I wish you were a human person and could stay here and make friends with everyone. I'm sure they would all like you just as much as I do..."
"It would be interesting to be human, I think," the genie agreed, "but I am what I am."
Gilligan nodded, "and a genie is a good thing to be, I guess, because you get to make people happy. Even though you have to say goodbye to the friends you make, you always get to move on and make new friends."
"That's very true," the genie said, "I've met so many people. And though some are horrid and selfish, the ones that are kind and thoughtful, like you, make up for the others. I've become good friends with quite a few of my masters. I probably couldn't even count how many people I have met in my lifetime..."
Gilligan frowned. Did this mean that after a while the genie wouldn't even remember him? If the genie went on to meet a million more people, a billion more... and granted all of their wishes, in the end, would Gilligan be just another person to the genie, another unremarkable human to add to the massive list of countless 'masters?' Gilligan loved the genie so much. He was such a special person. Gilligan found that he cared deeply about what the genie thought of him. He wanted the genie's approval. But did Gilligan mean as much to the genie as the genie meant to Gilligan? He was scared to ask...
"Is there something wrong?" the genie wondered, probably because he noticed Gilligan hadn't spoken in a while. Likely Gilligan's concern was evident in his facial expression as well.
Gilligan hesitated. The genie met tons of people... why should he remember Gilligan in the long run? If Gilligan met a billion genies, would he be able to sort one from the others? How could he expect the genie to remember him forever? It would be like Gilligan trying to remember a milkshake he had eaten. Sure, some milkshakes had been tastier than others, but in the end, they were all still just milkshakes, and he couldn't remember any specific one...
"I can see that you're upset," the genie noted, "I know you don't want to say goodbye, but sitting silently and refusing to speak won't make it any easier... I'm here now, and if you want to talk, I'll talk. Don't try to suppress your emotions. You may not be able to see it, but I'm probably just as melancholy as you are. Goodbyes are never easy, but it helps to discuss your feelings."
Gilligan sighed. Of course the genie was right about that. Gilligan was sad that he had to say goodbye, and wasn't sure how he was going to go about doing it. Now, however, his sadness stemmed from the suspicion that his wonderful, generous, incredible friend wouldn't even remember him after a while. "Genie..." he finally decided to just ask, "will you remember me? I mean, later, after you've met lots of other people..."
The genie seemed shocked, almost offended at that question, "Will I remember you? Of course I will! How could I forget you?"
"Well... if you meet so many people, how can you remember all of them? I know you'll remember me for a little while," Gilligan responded, "but what about after you've met a thousand other people? How will you remember individual ones from so long ago?"
"Have you forgotten that I'm a genie?" the genie asked, smiling, "I grant magical wishes and live in a bottle that shouldn't even be able to contain my foot, let alone my entire body. Everything I do defies logic and reason. I remember every master I've ever had. I will always remember you, Gilligan, as the most kindhearted boy I've ever had the pleasure of meeting. You'll forever be remembered as the lad who lives on an island with his crazy friends, the lad who wished for a dog to keep him company, and who used his last wish to benefit everyone who lived with him instead of just himself. A person who would spend their wishes on others is surprisingly uncommon. Though I remember all of my masters, you will definitely hold a special place in my heart forever."
Gilligan felt like he might cry, "you too," he said, meaning that the genie would hold a special place in his heart as well, "You've been very nice to me, even when you didn't have to... and you could have taken advantage of how I didn't always word my wishes clearly... you could have been a mean genie, but you weren't. You gave me advice and cared about me instead of only granting the three wishes that you had to grant. You're so much more than just a simple old genie. I mean, I haven't met any other genies... but I'm sure you're the very best one there is."
"You know, Gilligan, I have met countless humans in my life, and I know that you're one of the very best ones," the genie told him, "and I really mean that."
Gilligan smiled and reached out to hug the genie. The genie immediately embraced Gilligan as well. Gilligan could feel tears trailing down his cheeks. He had intended on being as stoic as possible, but he just couldn't help himself. He had been developing such a wonderful friendship with the genie, and just as they were becoming great friends, he now had to say goodbye forever. He couldn't help but cry.
Their hug seemed to last forever, but finally they both let go of each other and stepped back.
"I suppose this is goodbye then," Gilligan said, "I'm never going to be ready to say goodbye, no matter how long I stay here, so I guess we might as well just do it..."
"You're very right," the genie agreed, "We could wait until morning, but it wouldn't make our parting any easier."
Gilligan felt his lip trembling as he tried to keep himself from starting to cry again, "thank you for all of your help, Genie," he said. He could hear his own voice shaking slightly, "thank you for granting my wishes, for giving me advice, and for just being a really nice pal."
The genie nodded, "I've never been happier to grant someone's wishes than I have been to grant yours. I will truly miss you."
"I'll miss you too," Gilligan agreed.
The genie hugged Gilligan one last time, "goodbye," he said.
"Goodbye," Gilligan repeated back. He closed his eyes and hugged the genie for a few more seconds. Gilligan kept his eyes closed as the genie disappeared back into the bottle. He didn't want to watch the genie go into the bottle this time, because it just made the fact that he was leaving seem all the more real.
Gilligan breathed in deeply once he opened his eyes and saw that the genie had retreated back into his bottle. Now he needed to find the highest point on the island and toss the bottle into the ocean from there. He knew just where to go: to the cliffs that rose up really high on one side of the island. He usually didn't go there, because it was kind of scary to be up so high on sharp rocks like that, especially at night... but he wanted to throw the genie's bottle into the ocean at a good place, and that seemed like the best place to do it.
He trekked to the cliffs quickly, because they weren't very far from the cave where he had just been. When he made it to the top of the highest cliff, he could see that the sun was just barely beginning to peak over the horizon. His party must have lasted longer than he had thought. Either that, or his encounter with the genie had been much longer than it had seemed, which was entirely possible, because it seemed to be very quick, probably because he had wanted it to last forever. Gilligan found that nothing ever seemed to last long unless he didn't want it to. He felt like his meeting with the genie had lasted only minutes, but in reality, it could have been hours.
He needed to write his note for the next person who found the genie. He didn't really plan what it would say, but he knew he could think of something, and whatever he came up with right on the spot would be more genuine than something he planned out and rehearsed, so he just started writing:
"Deer lucky persin who finds this bottle,
The genie in hear iz very speshul. You shuld no that you are very lucky to find him. He is a gud genie, so don't worry about him trying to trik you. He won't try to turn your wishes arownd or anything like some genies do. This genie iz a real nice guy, and while I new him, he became a very gud frind to me. So please be nice to him and tell him Gilligan says HI! Also, don't tell yor frinds that you fownd a genie, becaus they will all think yor krazy!
Sincuerly, Gilligan"
Gilligan realized that his spelling was horrendous, but he hoped whoever found the bottle next would be able to read his message well enough. Especially the part where he had written for the next person to tell the genie Gilligan said 'hi.'
Now he needed to get the note into the bottle. Gilligan slowly pulled the cork out of the bottle, holding onto it tightly so that it wouldn't fly over the cliff. Just as soon as the cork was out, the genie emerged as well. Gilligan hadn't even considered that the genie would come out again when he pulled the cork out of the bottle. Of course, he should have known, based on past experiences, but somehow it had slipped his mind.
Gilligan grinned widely when he saw the genie emerge from the bottle.
"Genie!" He threw his arms around his friend, who gladly hugged him back.
"You know, Gilligan," the genie said, "As much as you'd like to keep me here, and as much as I'd love to stay here with you, we both know that you must toss my bottle into the ocean at some point. I can't stay here forever."
"Oh... I know that," Gilligan told him, "I really do. I was just going to put this note into the bottle for the next person who finds you," he held up the note, which he had wrapped up into a scroll-shape, "promise not to read it..."
"I won't read it," the genie assured him. The genie looked at the rising sun, "Wow... this view really is a step up from inside the cave. I haven't seen an ocean sunrise in a long time."
Gilligan frowned, "I'm sorry I kept you hidden away in the cave all this time."
"It's no problem at all," the genie smiled down at him, "I told you myself that I didn't mind it, remember?"
Gilligan thought back. He had asked the genie if he would mind staying in the cave, and the genie had indeed told him that it wouldn't be an issue, "oh, okay," Gilligan smiled. He and the genie sat on the cliff, looking at the rising sun (not directly at it of course, because it would have damaged Gilligan's eyes.) For what could have been fifteen minutes they looked out over the glistening water and at the colorful sky, neither of them saying a word. The scene was beautiful, and Gilligan was very happy to share it with his friend before they had to part.
At the same moment, Gilligan and the genie looked away from the sunrise and at each other. They both knew this was the proper time to say their final goodbye.
Gilligan handed the note to the genie, "don't read it," he emphasized again.
The genie nodded, "I promise," he said.
Gilligan embraced the genie again, "goodbye for real this time," he said, feeling tears coming to his eyes.
"Goodbye, Gilligan," the genie told him, "your friends are lucky to have you here, and I'm lucky to have met you."
"Thank you for being one of the best friends I've ever had," Gilligan told him, "goodbye."
Gilligan squeezed his eyes shut as he and the genie said their goodbyes, to prevent himself from crying, and so he wouldn't have to see the genie vanish into the bottle for the last time... The genie's embraced tightened slightly, and then faded away as he disappeared into the bottle one last time, taking Gilligan's note with him.
Gilligan looked down at the bottle. It was shiny just as it always had been before. He gently lifted it off the ground, feeling the smooth cool surface of the glass as he held it in his hands. He hugged it to his chest, closed his eyes, and said quietly, "I hope you find someone really nice." He opened his eyes, pulled the bottle out in front of him so he could see it one last time, and then threw it as far as he could manage into the waves of the sea. As the genie had said, the bottle went much farther than it should have, given Gilligan's tossing ability.
Sighing, Gilligan sat down on the cliff. He didn't really know how to feel... He was happy that a new person was going to get the opportunity he had gotten, and he was happy the genie was going to make friends with more wonderful people. At the same time, however, he felt really sad that he had made such a wonderful friend, only to have to say goodbye to him, knowing he'd never see him again.
Now he wasn't quite sure what to do. He didn't want to go back to camp. He didn't want to sleep. He didn't want to explore, or swim, or play coconut bowling. He just wanted to sit on the cliff and do nothing. He even considered just laying down and crying, but just as he was about to do so, he was greeted by the familiar feeling of small paws on his back and on the back of his ear, the warm wet tongue of his beloved dog Willy.
Gilligan grinned. He could always count on Willy to keep him in a good mood, even in the worst of times. Gilligan had felt so alone seconds ago, but now that Willy was next to him, he instantly felt better. The genie was gone, but Willy would be with him forever. Gilligan pulled Willy onto his lap and hugged him as Willy saturated his face with doggie kisses. Gilligan laughed and fell back onto the ground. Willy excitedly licked his face, bounded over Gilligan, back and forth, and ran in circles around him.
Even though he was on a cliff, the spot Gilligan currently found himself in was grassy and rather soft. Finally, the impact of having stayed up all night hit him, and he instantly felt exhausted. Sleeping right here on top of the cliff didn't seem like such a bad idea.
So Gilligan stayed laying down as he felt his eyelids growing heavier and heavier. He hoped none of his friends would worry when they didn't find him in his hammock in the morning. Surely they were used to him wandering off all the time by now... Gilligan breathed in and out, feeling himself becoming more and more tired by the second. He could see Willy nearby, walking in circles around him with his ears perked up as though he was on guard duty.
The last thing he saw before drifting into sleep was Willy curling up beside him, laying his head lightly on Gilligan's chest.
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The End
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Okie dokie... That's all there is.
This story had its ups and downs and sometimes it didn't quite seem to flow as it should have, but I hope you liked it overall... I sort of did. My original thought was to just write something including my exaggerations of the characters... I thought it would be funny to portray each of them as being a little crazy, like the professor with his drugs and the Howell's with their monopoly money and all that... The genie was just something I pulled out of the air in order for the crazy characters to have a plot to fall into. It turned out that the genie idea was actually pretty easy (and fun) to work with, and I could have written the entire thing keeping everyone in character instead and would have probably been more successful in gaining readers.
I realize that my version of the characters sort of eased out of their crazy alter-selves and back into their true selves from the show, but I would say that all has something to do with the genie granting Gilligan's wish that everyone would stop fighting. They were all in a really good mood, and Skipper and the Professor felt sort of bad for being mean to / drugging Gilligan...
Eh... The story's done now, and I'm sure as hell not going to go back and re-write half of it in order to change it to where everyone is in-character... This story is what it is... take it or leave it.
Thank you for reading. (and for reviewing if you were one of my reviewers. Especially Teobi, who reviewed lots of times) ^_^
I'm busy bee, but I might try to write Emo-Gilligan at a later date. (that would be a comedy.) Also, I realize that most Gilligan's Island fans wouldn't be into a comedy about Gilligan being an emo. My sense of humour is very... well, I don't know, but there's a good chance that what I think is funny wouldn't be funny to most other people... not on the Gilligan's Island page anyway.
I love you for reading this. ^_^ Good Bye.