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CONTEST ENDED – Thank you for submitting your stories!

#166: Game, set, match

Lately, my sporting news feed has been taken over by the retirement of two legendary tennis players — Serena Williams and Roger Federer. Whenever sports stars end their careers, it leaves me wondering what it must feel like to start something new after dedicating so much time and effort into performing at top level. 


Of course, retiring, quitting, or changing careers are life-changing events whether you’re a professional athlete or not, and the prompts this week are inspired by the bevy of emotions this can bring to the surface — from trepidation to excitement, to regret or even nostalgia.

This week's prompts

Start your story with someone saying “I quit!”

Adults – 55 stories

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

Adults – 43 stories

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

Adults – 26 stories

Set your story at a retirement or leaving party.

Adults – 19 stories

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

Adults – 37 stories

Stories

“Back in the Saddle Again” by John Steckley

Submitted to Contest #166

           Like the old Gene Autry song says, “I’m back in the saddle again.” I have been thinking that I retired too young, just because I started my career at a relatively early age, so I had a full pension before regular retirement age.  I am aware that I have been driving my wife crazy by my continual presence in the house, getting in her way. I know that she has been too nice to say anything, but I can see it in her eyes. Teaching was pretty much my entire life, ...

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“Inadequate” by Nikki Potgieter

Submitted to Contest #166

I hate it when people ask me, “When are you going to start a family?” Even the word family brings up a complicated series of emotions for me. Growing up, there wasn’t much to look up to in the way of role models, so I always thought that that was how people treated one another. The stupid, angsty teenager that I was, often thought that I’d rather be alone than be part of something that I hated. Luckily, life has a good sense of humour – I met an amazing man with whom to spend my life. “When are you going to start a family?” This is family. I...

2 comments 2
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“Finding the Will” by Rama Shaar

Submitted to Contest #166

“Come back, Will; we really need you!” I hesitated. My ear was pressed against the cool glass of the phone, now almost dripping with condensation. Why do my ears always do that? They get so hot and turn so red; you could practically see the steam hissing out of them. “Hello?” “I’m here.” “Will, please!” “You know I can’t.” “You can. It’s time to let it go! It’s not as bad as you think!” “I can’t.” I heard Linda heave the heaviest sigh, laden with desperation and disappointment. Then the call ended without a goodbye. I don’t blame her b...

4 comments 4
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“Running in circles” by Ela Mikh

Submitted to Contest #166

My dad was famous. I don’t think I really understood what it meant when I was little. He was always surrounded by attention and frequently left for days at a time but so did many other dads in our community. People traveled for work, had meetings, and got home late but around the time I was turning five, I started to realize that my dad was different. When we went to the store, people would stop and talk to him, to shake his hand. It was probably good that it was all before selfies became a thing – he wasn’t big on picture-taking.  Now ...

2 comments 2
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“Nothing to Lose” by Lucille Caspian

Submitted to Contest #166

“I quit,” Cecilia mutters. Her voice stutters and her head hangs low between her bony shoulders. She has been holding those words deep inside for some time now. Two simple words, festering in the pit of her stomach, growing into something nasty, putrid, and hateful. Cecilia knows speaking them aloud is dangerous. Finally letting them escape gives them life, makes them real. “I quit,” she says again. This time louder, firmer, allowing the words to take shape and form meaning. She reaches toward the corners of the old rickety wooden table in...

1 comment 1
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“She Quit” by M.E. Kirby

Submitted to Contest #166

 “I quit!”  What? She couldn’t quit. Yet there Tira was: brown hair jumbled in saucer sized curls, metal rimmed glasses sliding down her nose, coffee stained shawl off one shoulder, wooden squirrel earrings swaying back and forth. Tira was here, no doubt about it, and yelling over his desk with quite clear intentions. But she just couldn’t. . . “I’m telling you, Roy, I am done!”  Done? What a weird word. To be done means something is completed and quitting can only happen mid-completion of doing whatever needs to be done; ...

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“One Way Out” by Scott Harris

Submitted to Contest #166

                                           One Way Out  “I quit – I’m done – I want a divorce!” Those definitive words propel from Tracey’s lips as the two bags of groceries crash to the Italian marble floor and explode. Fortunately, her purchases are not fragile, only fruits, vegetables and paper products. The two grapefrui...

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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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“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...

2 comments 2
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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 ...

1 comment 1
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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 ...

4 comments 4
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“Revenge Is A Dish Best Served Cold” by Joseph Monachino

Submitted to Contest #166

All the sales representatives have a healthy competition amongst themselves every month. The 2 representatives that are usually first and second are Jerry and Linda. This month, at this point, Jerry is ahead of Linda by $ 1000. Today, being the 23rd day of the month, the quota must be met in one week’s time. The 28th day of the month has arrived. All the employees sales are listed on a chart. Jerry has reached the quota for the month. The list indicates that Linda is $ 5000 below the quota requirement for the ...

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“Betrayed” by Ann Davis

Submitted to Contest #166

"I cannot return to work. I need to file for Family Leave." "If you want to remain an employee here, you need to return with the rest of the staff. We have been off for several months and we need to return." "My son has a compromised immune system. He is not able to return to school or daycare. I need to stay home with him during this time." "I will not approve your leave and you have not provided the proper paperwork." "But I did. You asked me to provide a doctor's note from my son's doctor. The note stated that he was not cleared t...

1 comment 1
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$250

Prize money

180

Contest entries

73

Stories

Ended on 23:59 - Oct 07, 2022 EST

Won by Rebecca Miles 🏆

Title: Letting go

Submissions must be between 1,000 - 3,000 words and will be approved and published on Reedsy Prompts within 7 days of the contest closing.

Read the full terms & conditions or check out the FAQ if you have any questions!

Prompts | Big Blue Hand | 2024-11

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