Write a short story about someone based on their shopping list.

Posted in Character on Oct 26, 2022

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✍️ 49 stories

“Disillusion” by Jonathan Purvis

Submitted to Contest #19

In the jail cell. Location: CLASSIFIEDNo one ever believed me. And now no one will.10 months before. The Year is 1965. No one believes me, but I don’t expect anyone to. After bringing the country out of the Great Depression and winning World War II, the suited men were heavily respected by everyone. Parades, oh the parades. The smiles, oh the smiles which shadowed over the tents, shelters, ashes, and tears from the decades left behind. Indeed it was a new age, an age of perfection. The suited men could do no wrong. Every law, every way to co...

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“A CANTICLE FOR LOBACHEVSKY” by Andrew Grell

Submitted to Contest #19

“Why don’t they take their receipts? Why didn’t she take her receipt in my cab? I handed it to her with her change. On the news, every few weeks, tick tock, someone leaves something valuable in a cab. A violin. A secret file. A child’s first drawing, now not taped on the refrigerator. So simple, brother. Sorry, I mean Father. Father brother, eh? Take a receipt, pocket it, have it if you forgot something, you get it back.” John Dunne Mahaya, graduate student and part time New York ca...

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“Remembering Harry” by Unknown User

Submitted to Contest #19

“Maybe I chose the wrong year to play Santa’s helper. Guess I can’t back out now,” she thought, while entering the mall.The best part about Christmas to Elisabeth, is giving. It’s the one time of year where most people are kind to each other and don’t mind spreading a little cheer. Elisabeth adores driving through the Emerson’s neighborhood, just because they celebrate with caroling, egg nog, tree trimming parties, hanging lights around the roof top, wreaths on their front doors and plastic Santa Clauses on their lawns. In fact, this m...

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“Psychic Reader” by Eva Chang

⭐️ Shortlisted for Contest #19

“Excuse me, do you have any rose quartz larger than this?” The beady-eyed girl seemed to stare daggers at Emma; not out of being simply a frustrated customer, but more out of deep fear. She needed this rose quartz, badly, and she might die if she didn’t have it. Emma forced a smile. During these moments, she wished she wasn’t the sole Moonstone employee working at this witching hour. A woman had to pay her college funds somehow, though. “Let me check the back.” What that really meant was that they didn’t have anything bigger than that ...

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“My Two Brollies.” by Jon Tittley

Submitted to Contest #19

My Two Brollies. I have never owned an umbrella. That’s the long one right? Can be used as a walking stick. Kingsman. John Steed. That one. I have only ever owned two brollies. Much smaller. Fits in a pocket, bag or a utility pouch (pronounced pooch). My first brolly was purchased by me at a High Street retailer in the mid 1990’s prior to my first trip to Southeast Asia. A friend and seasoned jungle warrior in Special Forces recommended the purchase as an essential addition to your webbed gear and fighting order when I was due to attend Jung...

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“Marian” by Medeea M

Submitted to Contest #19

Marian has always been odd. It is almost like his parents predisposed him for weirdness since the day they gave him a gender uncertain name. Marian enjoyed things most people repel such as making friends with the biggest cockroaches or spending time in obscure metro places. But that was in his spare time, ‘cause he had a job like the rest of us. Marian liked his job as it provided him some kind of freedom and odd fascination. He made and delivered shopping orders to people too busy, too lazy or too invalid to do them themselves. He felt as i...

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“to buy” by Sara Petkovska

Submitted to Contest #19

"Eddie!" I heard my mom's distinctive voice yell for me, from the downstairs. I felt all too comfortable in my bed to leave, reading my comic, but I knew I'd just get into trouble if I didn't. The springs in my bed loosened and the door to my blacked out bedroom, let in the ugly bright light of the Saturday morning. "What mom?!" I leaned on the railings and yelled back, so I didn't have to go downstairs, but of course she hadn't answered. "Ughh." I ran down the steps and went straight to the kitchen, where I assumed the source had come from....

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“The Man I Want to Be” by MJ Pennell

⭐️ Shortlisted for Contest #19

MilkCheeseChocolateChipsCookiesVodka Search history:hot girl takeshot bitches gettingwhy am i alonewhy dont people like me Best answer: all bitches want are muscly guys w/ pea brains not fat fucks like us MilkCheeseBeerMountain DewCheap Flowers (for Mother’s Day- attach note: Sorry I couldn’t make it home this year, but I’m thinking of you.)A Reason Why She Would Care Search history:met a girlhow to flirthow to get a girls numberwhy would she ever like me MilkEggsCheeseSugarBread (White)CookiesBirthday Cake (For Soni...

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“Shopping Lists and Farmer's Markets” by Jacob Towne

⭐️ Shortlisted for Contest #19

My Abuela's house was always full of warmth. The wafts of steam and aromas enticed you in, and the food kept you there. Walking into the single story mission-style home that my Papi had bought when they were first married, the smells emanating from the kitchen made your nose tingle and mouth water. As I stood there, barely tall enough to see over her counters, I watched as my Abuela weaved her kitchen magic. Every action had a purpose, and every ingredient had a reason. "Everyone is special, mijo. Everything has its season, and everythi...

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“Easily detected.” by Ahmed Draz

Submitted to Contest #19

“Get back to work you lazy schmuck,” barked Dilan, the manager of a big store, at the face of a 20 years old young Brat.Brat wasn’t a school fan guy, maybe because he wasn’t smart enough to pass high school exams according to modern credentials, or he just quit school to help his sick mother paying hospital bills. Either way, poor Brat was nice, skinny and always has a naïve kind smile on his face, his mother told him to put it on all the time, whenever he is shy or anxious or does something wrong. But Brat wasn’t in need of a smile to get h...

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“The Grocery Game” by Sage Henry

Submitted to Contest #19

“Okay, the woman in front of the milk” “The one in the red coat?” “Yeah” “Alright. She’s uhh. She’s married-- was married, there’s a shadow of a ring on her finger. No kids, her ex husband didn’t want any. She looks defeated, probably gave up a umm vegan lifestyle and is regretfully going back to dairy products. Two cats, maybe a bird--” “A bird?” “Yeah why not? Anyway, she looks like a teacher, probably for lower elementary: She still has hope left that she can change the world. You’re up, how about the man next to her?” Making up lives for...

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“The Lists of Love” by Joe Parrillo

Submitted to Contest #19

Simon Barks went down his list methodically, “White wine, asparagus, potatoes, garlic, pumpernickle bread, cherry cheesecake, Sumatra coffee, whole bean of course, candles, matches. I think that’s it.” In the condo directly below Simon’s, Felicia Francone was writing her own shopping list out. The items weren’t nearly as elegant but each one was written with love. She was having her widowed mother over for dinner tomorrow. Being Italian, the Sunday menu always included pasta, meatballs, salad, Italian bread and red wine—all t...

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“Margaret's List” by Rebecca Shipp

Submitted to Contest #19

Margaret looked at herself in the mirror one more time. She tucked a few stray strands of hair behind her ear and sighed. When had her hair become so gray? Back in the old days, it seemed gray hair had been a sign of something. A right to honor. But on her, it didn’t seem worthy of anything so great. Just another sign that she had survived. Shaking her head at her reflection, she stepped to the door. There was no one to say goodbye to. The house was empty, and it had been for awhile. She was the only one left of her family. Her parents...

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“Relax” by Mike Garrigan

Submitted to Contest #19

The day after my vasectomy, Diane bounced through the door with a copy of Norman Dacey’s How to Avoid Probate. That afternoon, while I convalesced at home with a bag of frozen peas, she went to an estate planning luncheon. “We can set up a living trust and save tons of money!” she said. “Prostate?” I asked.“Probate, silly,” she said. $5,000 later, we had this huge binder of incomprehensible documents. Diane was a runner. I liked that she had her own thing apart from us. She did races all the time. Sometimes, they’d be in ...

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“Rabbit Blood on Aisle 9” by Anjana Saravanan

Submitted to Contest #19

It was Jude’s idea to let the kid tag along. Why, was beyond him. There was a fundamental lack of understanding between him and the girl, and it wasn’t because of the generational gap bullshit that people were always going on about, it was because the kid was a stupid piece of shit. He sometimes looked at her and wondered how his sperm had ended up serving such a use.Yes, the cantankerous-old-man trope fit him like a glove, and he relished it.Food Mart trips could be dangerous, which is what he reminded Jude that morning as she served him ne...

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Write a short story about someone based on their shopping list.

Submissions are closed

✍️ 49 stories

“Disillusion” by Jonathan Purvis

“A CANTICLE FOR LOBACHEVSKY” by Andrew Grell

“Remembering Harry” by Unknown User

“Psychic Reader” by Eva Chang

“My Two Brollies.” by Jon Tittley

“Marian” by Medeea M

“to buy” by Sara Petkovska

“The Man I Want to Be” by MJ Pennell

“Shopping Lists and Farmer's Markets” by Jacob Towne

“Easily detected.” by Ahmed Draz

“The Grocery Game” by Sage Henry

“The Lists of Love” by Joe Parrillo

“Margaret's List” by Rebecca Shipp

“Relax” by Mike Garrigan

“Rabbit Blood on Aisle 9” by Anjana Saravanan

🌟 Similar prompts

Write a short story about someone in the middle of a very long and busy retail shift.

Write a short story about someone searching for the perfect gift for their partner.

Write a short story about someone watching a convincing infomercial.

Write a short story about a shop that takes place over a span of years.

Contest #19

Enter our weekly contest!

$50

Prize money

211

Contest entries

0

Stories

Win $250 in our short story competition 🏆

Explore more writing prompt ideas:

Write a short story about someone based on their shopping list.

Submissions are closed

✍️ 49 stories

“Disillusion” by Jonathan Purvis

“A CANTICLE FOR LOBACHEVSKY” by Andrew Grell

“Remembering Harry” by Unknown User

“Psychic Reader” by Eva Chang

“My Two Brollies.” by Jon Tittley

“Marian” by Medeea M

“*to buy*” by Sara Petkovska

“The Man I Want to Be” by MJ Pennell

“Shopping Lists and Farmer's Markets” by Jacob Towne

“Easily detected.” by Ahmed Draz

“The Grocery Game” by Sage Henry

“The Lists of Love” by Joe Parrillo

“Margaret's List” by Rebecca Shipp

“Relax” by Mike Garrigan

“Rabbit Blood on Aisle 9” by Anjana Saravanan

🌟 Similar prompts

Write a short story about someone in the middle of a very long and busy retail shift.

Write a short story about someone searching for the perfect gift for their partner.

Write a short story about someone watching a convincing infomercial.

Write a short story about a shop that takes place over a span of years.

Contest #19

Enter our weekly contest!

$50

Prize money

211

Contest entries

0

Stories

Win $250 in our short story competition 🏆

Explore more writing prompt ideas:

“to buy” by Sara Petkovska