Write a story about someone who knows it’s time to retire or change jobs, but is hesitating.

Posted in Adults on Oct 28, 2022

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✍️ 43 stories

“Yours or Mine: Dreams on the Sandwich Line” by Samyah Fadel

Submitted to Contest #166

"There's already people lining up outside," said Rebecca by the front window from which she peeked out. Her voice was barely above a whisper, but punctuated by loud groan that resonated all too well with me as it carried across the sandwich shop to where I stood preparing table settings for the Home for the Hollindaise gourmet sandwich and sauce tasting event. We had been advertising it for months leading up to the first weekend of December and it had clearly paid off. The familiar feeling of dread that preceded every event we hosted at PB&a...

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“The Last Hit” by Simone Cannon

Submitted to Contest #166

She slid over the slick, worn cobblestones of Kotor’s Old Town, trying to keep her balance, and headed toward the outdoor cafe behind the ancient clock tower. She stopped at a shady empty table in the back on the sidewalk outside the employees’ entrance and dropped her rucksack on it, rummaging in the side pocket for something…her keys or sunglasses. Seated a couple of tables away were four dark-haired bearded young men. None looked up from their table; they were all transfixed, smoking their Serbian hand-rolled cigarettes and staring into t...

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“Changing Feathers ” by Tiffany Perkinz

Submitted to Contest #166

On my last day of work at the Pet Center, I set the parakeets free. I don’t think anyone was expecting it, and I can imagine there was some element of shock when the first person noticed the tiny, winged creatures emerging from a generic store cage in a blur of green, yellow, and blue. I didn’t stick around to see the reactions of my co-workers nor the unsuspecting customers; as soon as I unlocked the cage and the first Keet spotted her chance at freedom, I was already running out the automatic sliding glass doors. I have no reg...

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“Velo's cough” by Scott Dutkus

Submitted to Contest #166

Violence and language: I. Velo held his breath, not because of nerves (no, this is an act he executed with precision dozens of times in the last several years), but because of the nagging, persistent dry cough building in his lungs. And a cough, no matter how quiet right now, might lead to mission failure, and possibly even his death, something he desperately tried to avoid. His mark stood mere feet away, and his customer requested a spectacular sight, one that would harden the hearts of others and prevent similar situations.&nbsp...

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“It’s Time” by Sydney Delissaint

Submitted to Contest #166

As Jim walks out of the office carrying all he had accumulated over his long tenure working at Canseli. He almost couldn’t believe this was it. Coming to this point has been challenging, but he was ready to start a different path in his life. It all started on January 2nd. They had performance appraisals on this date every year. Jim wasn’t nervous because even though he was getting a little older, people liked him. He had been there for so long that nobody was interested in trying to get rid of him now. Jim was going to be a part of the Ca...

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“The Secret Room ” by Diana Sanchez

Submitted to Contest #166

I’ve been with Dental Royale for one year. I gave myself four years from when I started to make my dreams come true and leave this 9-5. I have this amazing idea for a novel that I know will put me on the New York Times Best seller list. Like most aspiring writers and artist, I loathe my day job. Eight hours of sitting at a front desk, answering phone calls from rude patients who seem to think it’s my fault that they missed their appointment that they set up six months ago or having to explain to patients why their insurance only covers forty...

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“Lunch Hour” by Kathryn Minicozzi

Submitted to Contest #166

The campus was always beautiful in the spring, and this year was no different. The gardeners had been hard at work, planting beautiful red, purple, green, and white flowers in various spots on the grounds, turning them into explosions of color and fragrance. Mary loved this place not only for its beauty but for its atmosphere of academic superiority. Vibrant flora and lively minds filled this university, like a refuge of beauty and learning in the middle of New York City. On a beautiful afternoon like today, the campus was a...

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“I'm Out of the Band” by Sophia Beauclair

Submitted to Contest #166

Sarah North was the lead singer of an all-girl music group called Sarah and the Sparkletones. The members all came from different backgrounds and played different instruments. Sarah was American and the lead singer. Chiyoko was Japanese and played the drums. Romy was German and played the saxophone. Anoushka was Russian and played the electric guitar. Josefina was Brazilian and played the acoustic guitar. Mia was Australian and played the violin. Vivienne was French and played the snare drum. Zalika was Ethiopian and played the keyboards. Na...

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“Are Those Eye Contacts?” by Emily Grace

Submitted to Contest #166

(TW: Passionate ravings of a disabled person, disability discrimination…?)“…Are those eye contacts?” You’ve heard that question about a million times and then some. It’s easy to forget about it when you’re in a flow state behind the register. You greet the customer, you scan the items and, in between each click, you ask them if they would like to sign up for rewards but, every so often, you slip up. You have the audacity to make eye contact. Sometimes it’s unintentional, sometimes you feel confident, and sometimes you don’t care, b...

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“ONE HELL OF A POKER NIGHT” by Susan Catucci

Submitted to Contest #166

Warning: Contains mild foul language. Demonic imagery - meant to be comedic.* * *If the Dark Prince ever promised he would be somewhere or do something, no one in their right mind would actually expect it to happen. Short of soul-gathering, how could anyone known as the Father of Lies and Deception be taken seriously? There was only one thing that was practically guaranteed though, at least in Hell. Satan had never missed Poker Night, which was routinely held every half-century, mortal time.The table was loaded with all the usual suspects: H...

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“The memory lapse” by Marguerite Falck

Submitted to Contest #166

It happened one night, about three months ago, in the middle of a concert. My father had a memory lapse. But there's nothing tragic about that, you might say. A lapse in memory is human. Is it really the beginning of the end? How many billions of notes can a conductor have his orchestra play over the course of a career? If he forgets two, three or even ten bars, what does it matter? Why doesn't he look at his score? Well, let me tell you. First of all, you have to impose yourself on your musicians. The challenge is not insignifi...

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“Vegas It Is” by Madeline Honig

Submitted to Contest #166

The white van goes barging down the empty city street. The sun shines off the metal walls on either side of the van. Most of these warehouses have been abandoned for years which makes it the perfect place for this venture without the prying eyes of nosey neighbors. The van hits a pothole but doesn’t slow down. The van makes another turn. And the three men sitting on the floor of the back of the van are tossed to the side, but their stern faces do not change. Each one of them knows, the job ...

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“Suitable Vocation” by Tanya Humphreys

Submitted to Contest #166

Warning: a bit of gore and battle violence The sword in Starrin’s gloved hand seemed to weigh a hundred stones. He looked over at his leering rival’s sword, it dripped with bright fresh blood. The fat black flies circling Rahvie’s head made Starrin’s stomach flip flop. The last thing he needed was to upchuck his breakfast, here, in front of both their fathers, having hesitated so long was bad enough. Rahvie would be eager to rush back home and tell all the other kids of Starrin’s debacle of a day. In the eyes of the ...

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“People Watching” by Ellen Kommel

Submitted to Contest #166

As he fastened his jeans and slipped into a freshly ironed button-up, Frank’s joints sang out in protest. The chorus had been growing louder over the years; he wasn’t the same agile young man who dodged bullets in Kandahar and leapt from airplanes like the ground was made out of marshmallows. (It wasn’t, as he abruptly found out once or twice after some equipment malfunctions.) The human skeleton isn’t meant to endure quite so much trauma, his doctor told him on many occasions. But it was all he knew and more importantly, it was what he was ...

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“Questions” by Thomas Ciccarone

Submitted to Contest #166

Questions T A Ciccarone Gus the Theater Cat T.S. Elliott Gus is the cat at the theater door His name, as I ought to have told you before Is really Asparagus, but that's such a fuss to pronounce That we usually call him just Gus The old man lay in bed for almost thirty minutes before attempting to get up. He stretched the various troublesome areas of his body before turning back the covers. The onset of age was disturbing to him, and at fifty-eight, he was constantly dealing with the ravages of a lifetime of grueling work ...

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Write a story about someone who knows it’s time to retire or change jobs, but is hesitating.

Submissions are closed

✍️ 43 stories

“Yours or Mine: Dreams on the Sandwich Line” by Samyah Fadel

“The Last Hit” by Simone Cannon

“Changing Feathers ” by Tiffany Perkinz

“Velo's cough” by Scott Dutkus

“It’s Time” by Sydney Delissaint

“The Secret Room ” by Diana Sanchez

“Lunch Hour” by Kathryn Minicozzi

“I'm Out of the Band” by Sophia Beauclair

“Are Those Eye Contacts?” by Emily Grace

“ONE HELL OF A POKER NIGHT” by Susan Catucci

“The memory lapse” by Marguerite Falck

“Vegas It Is” by Madeline Honig

“Suitable Vocation” by Tanya Humphreys

“People Watching” by Ellen Kommel

“Questions” by Thomas Ciccarone

🌟 Similar prompts

Start your story with someone saying “I quit!”

Write about a rivalry between two coworkers that has unforeseen consequences.

Set your story at a retirement or leaving party.

Write about someone who has long since quit but decides to go another round for old time’s sake.

Contest #166

Enter our weekly contest!

$250

Prize money

181

Contest entries

74

Stories

Win $250 in our short story competition 🏆

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