It was one of those long afternoons along Australia’s Hume Highway — the kind where the sun blurs the horizon and truck drivers pull over for a hot meal and a moment of rest. But when a weary driver pushed open the door to a roadside café that day, the entire room fell silent. Why? Because right behind him waddled an emu — a full-grown, curious-looking bird that seemed to belong anywhere but a diner. Without missing a beat, the driver walked to the counter and said, “I’ll have a hamburger, chips, and a coffee.” Then, turning to his feathery companion, he added, “What about you?” The emu tilted its head and replied, “Sounds good to me.” The waitress nearly dropped her notepad.
Day after day, the pair returned to the café. Each time, they ordered the same meal, sat in the same booth, and every single time, the driver paid with exact change — not a cent more or less. Finally, the waitress couldn’t hold back her curiosity any longer. “I have to ask,” she said one evening with a smile, “how do you always have the exact amount of money?” The driver leaned in, lowering his voice as if sharing a great secret. “Years ago,” he began, “I found a magic lamp on the side of the road. When I rubbed it, a genie appeared and granted me two wishes.”
The waitress’s eyes widened, her curiosity now fully hooked. “That’s incredible! What did you wish for?” she asked. The driver chuckled. “For my first wish, I asked that whenever I needed to pay for something, I’d always have the exact amount of money in my pocket.” The waitress nodded, impressed. “That’s brilliant,” she said. “You’ll never be broke!” Then, with a playful grin, she leaned closer. “And what was your second wish?”
The truck driver smiled and glanced at the emu, who was busy pecking at the last of her fries. “For my second wish,” he said, “I asked for a tall bird with long legs who’d agree with everything I say.” Without missing a beat, the emu looked up, swallowed the last chip, and said, “Sounds good to me.” The café erupted in laughter — and from that day on, the driver and his loyal sidekick became legends along the highway, proving that sometimes, wishes really do come true… just not always in the way you expect.