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CONTEST ENDED – Thank you for submitting your stories!

#193: A Bear's Favor

One of the perks of being a Reedsy Prompts judge is the constant exposure to new ideas and words. While reading Olivia Lake’s story ‘Grateful Nuisance’ recently, I was introduced to a new (to me) Japanese word that instantly captured my imagination. The story explores the idea of arigata-meiwaku, a combination of arigatai (thankful), and meiwaku (nuisance). In essence, it describes the all-too-relatable phenomenon when someone insists on doing you a “favor” against your will, only to wind up causing you even more inconvenience than you started with.

In Northern Europe, this concept is often referred to as a “bear’s favor,” derived from a fable about a bear who kills his master by hitting him in the head with a boulder, when he was in fact trying to kill a fly.

I’m sure the mere mention of such a favor has already conjured some examples from your own life, and this week’s prompts draw on the idea of “bear’s favors” and half-baked acts of kindness. Is it truly always the thought that counts?

This week's prompts

Write a story inspired by the concept of arigata-meiwaku — a favor that turns out to be a nuisance for its recipient.

Funny – 53 stories

Write about somebody whose intentions are pure, but somehow always manages to do the wrong thing.

Character – 45 stories

Write a story where someone insists on giving your main character a ride to the airport, only for their car to break down.

Fluff – 26 stories

Write a fable inspired by a relatable life experience (explaining the moral before or after the story, if you’d like).

Kids – 16 stories

Write a story containing the words “it’s the thought that counts.”

Dialogue – 46 stories

Stories

“Beds and Breakfast” by Wesley Rebolledo

Submitted to Contest #193

THIRD PERSON POV “Damn it!” Sam heard Amelia say after she heard the sound of glass breaking. “Are you ok?” Amelia asked with a towel wrapped around her, and her hair wet. “This fucking hand–.” Amelia groaned in frustration. Holding up her left hand as it shook. “I’m sorry.” Said Sam. Although she didn't have much to apologize for. But it is difficult to love someone, and something hurts them, and have no say in the matter. “I can’t even lift a fucking glass, how am I supposed to work again, how are we supposed t...

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“The Man with a Hat ” by Jose Pardo

Submitted to Contest #193

Jack was walking down a neighborhood, smoking a cigarette on his own. Minding his business. When a man with a hat came running towards him out of nowhere, he was screaming and he looked terrified. Jack: What is going on? Are you okay? Man with a hat: Please help me. I just escaped from that house. The man with a hat had no breath, he was tired from running but he still was able to point towards a beautiful two floor home. Jack: Calm down, and explain to me what just happened? The man with a hat takes a deep breath. He tries t...

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“Mindset” by Natalie Mars

Submitted to Contest #193

[Sensitive themes of illness and child hospitalization]The nurse told her, "It's the thought that counts," when she placed the basket on her nightstand. Nicole looked at the Easter basket in disgust. Everything was old-fashioned and earth-colored. The brown wicker looked like sticks. It was ugly and full of coloring books she was too old for and stickers she wasn't interested in.She looked across at her roommate Kayla's Easter basket. It was large, pastel, and beautiful with pinks, blues, and greens and overflowing with candy. Kayla always g...

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“Second Coming? Do Me A Favour” by Rae Toon

Submitted to Contest #193

Story contains references to Bible that religious readers could find offensive / sacriligious Second Coming? Do Me A Favour Imagine the worst hangover ever and times it by infinity. Death by crucifixion is not something you ever want to wake up from, believe me. An eternity of sleep: that’s what I’d earned. But wake I did, and now, here I am in this stone tomb, fumbling around in the dark on my knees. I don’t know what’s worse: the pain in my back and hips, the stinging holes in my hands and feet, or the dryness of my mouth and throat. No....

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“Birdie” by Emory Pearson

Submitted to Contest #193

308 Walnut Terrace sat at the far end of the cul-de-sac. It wasn't unlike its neighbors; a stranger could easily mistake it for 306 or 310. The exterior was painted a light gray resembling the fog of an early morning by the lake. White trim boards framed the abode, and an oversized cranberry red door beckoned to be entered. Above the entrance, a semi-circle window invited the sunlight in for a visit. The interior was much like its shell; the walls were painted a soothing blue-gray that evoked feelings of living inside a nimbus cloud. Pine-sc...

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“"A Mother's Love"” by Lindy King

Submitted to Contest #193

“A Mother’s Love” I woke up to the sound of rain pitter pattering on the window pain. My bed was warm and cozy; I burrowed deeper under the covers. For a moment I could almost- almost- forget the crushing grief, the suffocating feeling of loss in my chest. I felt a hand rubbing my back over the covers and could tell that the overhead light had been flipped on. “Rise and shine, sleepy head!” my mother-in-law, Sheila’s, voice rang in her sing-so...

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“The Road to Hell” by Jennifer Fremon

Submitted to Contest #193

“What do you mean you are quitting?” Two of the other woman in the hallway immediately turned their heads to stare at her. Alicia took a deep breath and made an effort to lower her voice. “No, I understand what quitting is. Its just that most people give some notice. They don’t, out of nowhere, say hey I am not going to pick up your kid today, good luck.”Alicia stuffed Chloe’s pink backpack into the small wooden cubby hole outside her classroom. “Yes I understand that, Becky but you made a commitment to do a job. No, of course I value y...

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“Bad Vibes” by Alex Logan

Submitted to Contest #193

“Look, I’m not saying you have to believe in it or anything, just let her come and do her thing.” Roberta shook her head and smiled, her eyes alight with a profound sincerity not even hundreds of miles and a laggy internet connection could dampen. Amanda crossed her arms and sighed. She couldn’t exactly pin down when her best friend of nearly twenty years got into this crap, but she suspected it had something to do with her current husband, who once claimed that a Himalayan salt lamp cured his plantar warts. “I mean it’s not like she’ll make...

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“A truth for a blackmail” by John Singer

Submitted to Contest #193

trigger warning: wicked, vile, mean-spirited characters. Thank God they are incompetent.In the English tradition, a favor is something "attractive, beautiful, and charming." The English word originated from Old French favor "a favor; approval, praise; applause; partiality." Modern French took on a different spelling, faveur. ˆBoth derived from Latin favorem (nominative favor) "good will, inclination, partiality, support."Cicero, the ancient Roman orator, coined favere (a verb-form of favorem), meaning "to show k...

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“By the Grace of God” by Novah Hiraeth

Submitted to Contest #193

I'm blinded for a moment. An unobstructed ray of sunlight flashes over my eyes. I close them and wait for it to pass. My eyelids glow a shade of garnet. I make a conscious effort to relax my brow and allow the light to be bright without squinting. My eyelids go black again. A cloud most likely, braving a journey across the sky. I ponder for a moment where it's headed. Perhaps to the coastline, and then to cascade into salty, blue waters. Or maybe the desert, to save a starved, sweating soul at the mercy of the sun. I open my eyes. There she...

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“The Heist” by Julian Tenorio

Submitted to Contest #193

32,000 dollars, that’s how much Mr. Torres, the economics and English teacher made a year. Approximately 2600 a month, when you took out taxes, healthcare, retirement, and fees it was down to $1600. He had studied psychology and minored in kinesiology in college, his mother badgered him to study engineering or maybe become a doctor, doctors made a ton of money and are recession proof, that was her go to line. She would deliver it snidely whenever he asked for gas money. But he wanted to study something that made him happy, anyways, was...

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“Bob's Bad Luck” by Nathan Anderson

Submitted to Contest #193

Bob was a very thoughtful fellow, although he was uncoordinated. He made a lot of oversights. Even though he would try things, they didn’t always work out. Bob was a caveman, a real Neanderthal, and he loved to create. He invented new things all the time. But he would make little mistakes along the way, usually resulting in a fight, accident, or calamity, making people very unenthusiastic about his work. When he tried the T-Rex taxi, the village banished him from their valley, into a cave on the mountain. One day Bob woke up in his cave. It...

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“I Always Mean Well But......” by Valerie Preston

Submitted to Contest #193

Someone was crooning ‘Why me Lord’ on my car radio. The windscreen wipers seemed to be going back and forwards in rhythm with the tune. I don’t even know what the words were to the song but it sounded sad and I felt sad. My tears were falling like the rain outside. “Why me?” I wailed along with the voice. I think I picked up somewhere in the words that he was talking to Jesus but I was talking to the universe. “Why am I so clumsy? I try to do things to help people and it always turns out a disaster…like today” and the thought of what ha...

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“The Offering” by L. Odell

Submitted to Contest #193

As Pascal entered the backyard and hugged his younger sister, Marianne, all the witty lines he had planned to say slipped from his mind. "The food smells great," was all he could say. Marianne wore a light-red sundress, some open-toed sandals, and a slim gold necklace around her neck. And Heyward, Pascal's brother-in-law, stood dutifully at the grill, a greasy apron around his waist, a pair of silver tongs in his hand, as he monitored the sizzling meat. Marianne grabbed Pascal's hand and led him further into the backyard. She quickly introd...

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“How to Pave a Road” by K Lark

Submitted to Contest #193

They say the road I’m on is paved with good intentions. To that I say… At least, I tried. ~*~*~ I’m sorry, I missed your question. Where’d I go wrong? Was that it? Right. Well. You know when you meet someone who says they want to change the world. Always make sure you ask… “How?” ~*~*~ “Welcome to Howeling Pharmacies where your health is priceless! How may I help you today?” “Hi, I’m here to see Mr. Rogers.” Yep, you guessed it, that’s me. No, not the chipper front desk attendant, the one there for ...

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$250

Prize money

186

Contest entries

115

Stories

Ended on 23:59 - Apr 14, 2023 EST

Won by SCOTT GEORGE 🏆

Title: To Plant a Garden.

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!

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