SHORT STORY

ENGLISH
Pockets Full Of Wishes

INDONESIA
Eka

By BJ Neblett
Dont put your hands in the pockets!
Jimmy looked at his sister. It was just a winter coat, a
used one. It was all his parents could afford. But it was
his. He picked it out. Now he stood proudly before the
store mirror admiring the blue denim coat with the thick,
soft fleece lining that reminded him of grandmas
comforter. But it was the many zippered pockets with
their long fancy fobs that caught his eye among the other
used clothing on the racks.

Eka

He toyed with one of the chrome fobs, Why not?

Eka
Because, silly, thats where people keep their wishes.
And youre not supposed to let the wishes out.
That winter saw endless days of below freezing
temperatures and long, bleak nights of snowfall. The blue
denim coat with the thick, soft fleece lining and many
zippered pockets kept Jimmy warm on his mile long walk
to and from school. It kept him dry as he sled down steep
hills and built great forts and engaged in heroic snowball
fights with other ten year olds. And it kept him company
as he brought in firewood and performed his other daily
chores.
Late one afternoon, while he played alone in the woods, it
began to snow. Jimmy knew he should hurry home but
within minutes the snowfall became a blizzard.

Dewi

Maya

Everything turned white.

Maya
Then it grew dark as night folded over the forest. Try as
he may, Jimmy couldnt find his way. The snow
continued to fall. Jimmy became frightened and cold and
hungry.

Huddling under a fallen tree, Jimmy cupped his hands

and breathed into them. I wish I hadnt forgotten my
gloves, he cried. Without thinking, he unzipped the right
side pocket and inserted his hand. He felt something soft,
familiar. It was the woolen gloves he left sitting on the
mantle. They were warm and dry and felt good around his
freezing fingers.
I wish it would stop snowing, Jimmy said, idly
unzipping the left side pocket. Seconds later the blizzard
stopped.
His sisters words came back to him: Thats where people
keep their wishes.
The boy smiled broadly.
He understood.
Carefully tugging on the zipper which sealed the breast
pocket, he called out loudly, I wish I wasnt lost!
As the metal teeth on the zipper parted, the thick cloud
cover opened. Soon a bright full moon lit the snow
blanketed forest. Jimmy jumped up and laughed and
began to run about. The old blue denim coat with the
thick, soft fleece lining and many zippered pockets had
saved him.
As he rushed through the dense brush in the direction of
his home, one of the coats long fobs caught on a branch.
It pulled the large zippered bottom pocket open. Jimmy
stumbled, landing in a deep snow bank. Digging himself
out, he heard a loud growling.
He looked up.
A huge, hungry wolf with burning red eyes and long
sharp teeth stood over him.
Jimmy tried to think. What else had his sister told him?
Youre not supposed to let the wishes out.

Iis

Iis

Iis
Anggi

Anggi

Eli

The great wolf leaped.

Eli
Jimmy reached for the zipper and tried to pull it closed.

But it was too late.