Mastodawn

There was a faint puff of smoke from the bottle, and a small genie appeared.

"You have freed me," it said, "so I'm obliged to grant you a wish."

It hesitated. "But I am not very powerful."

I nodded. "Of all things I need, give me the greatest you can."

Suddenly, I held a large mug of hot cocoa.

What would a genie do if you don't make a wish? Would they just hang around?

It's not like they have much to do. Do they just lay dormant in the lamp till someone rubs it?

Maybe they have whole other life in the lamp and randomly get pulled out while boiling pasta, that could be a problem.

@houba @MicroSFF I *think* this is (a small) part of the premise in Tom Holt's Djinn Rummy.