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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

“An Idle Helping Hand” by Levi Michael

Submitted to Contest #193

Aldous Albitter had spent the last thirty-five years climbing the corporate ladder to the top. Today was the first Monday of his retirement. The first day he hadn’t woken before dawn to take the train into the city, and ravenously poured over ad-specs. He wasn't the type of guy to think about his own death, but if he had to, he would have pictured himself slumped over his drafting desk, dead from a heart attack at ninety-five. Now just shy of sixty-four, he had aged out of the industry and been politely escorted into retirement. He had gone ...

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“Pieces” by Crissie Dittrich

Submitted to Contest #193

Matthew has very little to offer. He is a starving artist who lives in a van. He is often late to everything and when he gets there he smells of weed covered with patchouli. Although we grew up together, we are complete opposites and the five years between us further the divide.I am often early. I never drink or smoke and I definitely don’t live in my car. I live in a three bedroom condo in New York by the Hudson River. My home is immaculate, my wife is beautiful, I drive a Mercedes - Benz, and my job is h...

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“Transformational” by Kelly Jackson

Submitted to Contest #193

Twelve year old Mia Sanderson wants for nothing and gives nothing in return. Her world is full of love, her life happy and plentiful. Blessed with hard-working parents, living a comfortable life in the small town of Yellow Springs, Ohio. Mia’s mother and father are pillars of their community, regularly donating time and money to worthy causes, hoping that their only child will follow suit. Despite their best efforts, Mia has always refused to share. When she was a toddler, she refused to share her toys with the other children, at Easter, she...

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“FOR YOU” by Melinda Madrigal

Submitted to Contest #193

It's the thought that counts. I always say. You do something nice for people and they don't appreciate what you did for them. The last time I did something for my special someone he was ungrateful. I did away with him. I don't like to be around negative people. I'm a happy person. I like to be around happy people. I smile all the time. I like to make people smile that's who I am. When people say negative things about me it makes me sad. Why would anyone want to be sad? After I did away with that ungrateful man and all the negative people...

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“Bare Souls” by Anna Giangiordano

Submitted to Contest #193

Candles of dubious provenance lit the small, wood-lined dining hall. They filled the air in the dark hall with scents that put the guests in mind of hot nights, dreams they had fought free of, abandoned churches and forbidden desires. The new lord’s inauguration was, while an event not to be missed - as befitted the occasion of such a high-standing demon wishing to stretch his (rather small and feathery) wings of dread power in the mortal world of Politics - one they uneasily wished that they could. (He had arrived one day in August, a ho...

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“Brother: Nineteen Years, Zero Days” by William Moreau

Submitted to Contest #193

Twelve years, zero days: that was to be the only thought running through my mind by the end of the day. I was in awe of how he had bottled up the sun—seven of them, in fact. Each owned a small podium, all of which jutted from a sea of shallow white spirals. Vanilla, my favourite. The optimistic beacons grasped at the endless blue above them, undoubtedly seeking comfort in their celestial mother. She heartened the grass that laughed and tickled my soles, and her seven children imitated by warming my chin, my nose, my forehead as I neared. I ...

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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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