Tippy studied the man warily. He wasn't old, despite the bushy gray hair. Probably in his late forties. The fountain had been drained for cleaning two days ago. Something ugly and brown was stuck on the green tiles.

The man took a card from the box and read aloud, "I wish my father to be in good health."

He tossed a penny into the empty fountain, resulting in a loud clink. He repeated the ritual with the next card and penny, and the next.

Tippy circled the box but couldn't find any propagandic message on it. There wasn't a poster or placard around, either, and the man's T-shirt only read, "Margarita For The Masses."

"I wish for blue skies." Clink.

Passers-by merely glanced in their direction before continuing on their way. Only Tippy and another young man stood near. The young man -- a boy, really, hovering at the edge of manhood -- stared intensely at the bare fountain tiles.

"I wish for rain." Clink.

Tippy approached the boy. "What's going on?" she asked.

He didn't look up. "What?"

"Is this a protest? What's he saying?"

The boy shrugged.

Not very helpful. Tippy frowned and went to the Margarita Man instead.

"Are you protesting something?" she asked. "Is this a Christianity thing?"

The man finished reading his wish and tossed in a penny before glancing at Tippy. "No. Just wishes. Y' know. Pennies in a fountain. Make your wish come true."

"I'm too old for that," said Tippy.

The man squinted against the sun and studied her up and down. "Are you?"

She flushed. Tippy was in her late-twenties.

He gestured at the box. "Grab a card. Make a wish."

"You know the only way a wish comes true is if you work for it."

"Mebbe." Very close-lipped, this man. The boy could've been his protégé. "No harm in hoping anyway."

Now it was Tippy's turn to study him. "I'm a good listener."

"That's nice."

"I mean, you can talk to me. Did anything happen to make you want to --" she gestured at the box, "-- do this?"

"I wish for birds in their nests hatching their eggs." Clink. "Why must something happen to me 'fore I can make wishes?"

Tippy's cheeks reddened. It was then that she noticed the boy whom she'd talked to earlier. He was approaching the Margarita Man.

She glanced down, noting that her leather pumps needed polishing. "But people make wishes on the spur of the moment. They toss in one or two pennies. They don't make cards."

"Not if they want to forget. I wish for grace." Clink.

"The fountain's empty. Why not wait until it has water first?"

"I wish people would smile more." Clink. "Wishes aren't supposed to be put on hold."

Tippy scrubbed her face in frustration, trying to form a reply.

Then she heard the boy speak. "It doesn't matter why you wish," he said, gazing down at the sack of pennies. "As long as you wish."

The man looked up at him, then gestured at the sack. "Go ahead."

The boy leaned down and grabbed a handful of pennies. He began throwing them into the fountain, one by one, almost angrily.

"Love." Clink. "Sorrow. Clink. "Magic." Clink. "Forgiveness." Clink.

"You didn't say 'I wish,'" said Tippy.

"Everyone's got their way," said Margarita Man. "I wish for Christopher to walk again." Clink.

"Words." Clink. "Life." Clink. "Humans." Clink. "Humanity." Clink.

Tippy didn't understand, but she didn't say anything because the boy's gaze was so focused, so intense, that in some way she hurt for him.

"Lia." Clink. "People." Clink. "Angels." Clink.

He watched the last penny land before turning his attention to the rest of the coins in his hand. He bent and unfisted his hold, releasing them into the cloth sack, all save one. He looked at it, then at the sky. Then he tossed the coin into the fountain.

Clink. "Faith."

He turned around and walked away. He didn't even nod at Margarita Man or spare Tippy a glance.

Teenage angst, she thought. Everyone had their own demons to fight. Tippy turned to call to the boy, but he was nowhere to be seen.

She frowned and returned her attention to Margarita Man. She picked a coin from his sack and watched a girl walking her dog pass.

Smiles. Magic. Youth. Wishes.

She threw the penny in. "Faith."

Clink.

Margarita Man looked at her, then returned to his cards. "I wish for better health."

Tippy took some cards and pennies from the box and joined him.