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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

“The Used Toaster” by Madeline Honig

Submitted to Contest #193

“So… he gave you a used toaster?” I asked Emma. I met Emma at my last company. She was smart and ambitious and I befriended her when I realized I could learn a thing or two from her. It appeared she felt the same and we became fast friends. Now that both have moved on in our careers, Emma and I make a point of doing brunch at least once a month to catch up. This keeps us connected in our busy lives. “It wasn’t used.” Emma took a sip of her orange tinted mimosa and avoided eye contact ...

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“I Saved Your Life” by Ryan Bohannon

Submitted to Contest #193

"What do you mean a spaceship is headed for us?" he said, trembling with fear. "It's all over the news," she told him, "Where have you been David?" "I drank last night, I just woke up," he explained, she always did this, she judged him, it was in her eyes, disgust. "I hate that you do that," she scowled, but she was holding back, "you drink until you pass out and then you wake up and you do it again." "Yes and I will keep doing it until the day I die," he explained. "Just like dad," she said, and this was a deep cut, she knew ...

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“Thank You For Not Helping Me” by Patricia Merewether

Submitted to Contest #193

"Integrity is when our words and deeds are consistent with our intentions." Simon Sine " It surprised me when my neighbor and friend Marie entered my hospital room. "We'll help, Maddy," My dear neighbor took my hand. "All of us will, Mrs. Martin, Lisa, all the neighbors, because we know how important your gardens are to you, and the doc says you'll cannot lift anything over five pounds for quite a while, just to be on the safe side." "You talked to my doctor?" My mouth was dry, and my mind felt blurry. I knew how strict the privacy laws had ...

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“Too Loud” by Rene Volpi

Submitted to Contest #193

Uri said he wanted my help with his project. Since I'm okay with computers and tech gadgets, I thought, why not?We worked out of his Manhattan studio apartment, which he shared with his sweet, demure girlfriend Miko. It wasn't long before even Miko's quiet countenance was rattled and she started up with an insistent whine--first about the sound and then about THE SOUND. See, he was trying to get a patent for this system which combined electronics, holographic science, virtual optical experience and sound volume through analogue and...

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“役に立たないクマ (The unhelpful bear)” by Madison Olczak

Submitted to Contest #193

役に立たないクマ (The unhelpful bear) The mother bear peacefully walked along the ancient cobblestone path laid long before her massive paws touched the stone. All the bears in the misty forest knew from legends that the road had been there since the dawn of time. It without fail led to the most abundant food source, a hidden river with plenty of Salmon rushing upstream. No one aside from the bears knew about its existence, though the...

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“Leo ” by Chelsey B

Submitted to Contest #193

Leo buried his toes in the sand, then wiggled them free. He jumped up and tossed 2 handfuls of sand into the air, before he took off running. He circled laps until he was so dizzy that he had no choice but to collapse along the shore. Leo rolled onto his back and moved his arms up and down against the sand as his legs went side to side. “I’m making a sand angel,” he giggled. Leo felt like he might burst from excitement. After waiting all the long, gray winter, he was finally at the beach. The sky above was brilliantly blue, and the sun w...

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“Good Yards Make Good Neighbors” by Marty B

Submitted to Contest #193

It was the the hottest day of the year when the old man came over to mow my lawn. It was not the first time. Bing was our neighbor, a small elderly man with dark gray hair and a ready smile. He would not say his age, but his heavily wrinkled face and stooped back gave credence to the rumor he was in his 80’s. He walked the neighborhood every day with his fat chihuahua, Bijou. He knew everyone’s business, and regularly checked-in on the home- bound seniors, many of whom were younger than him. Bing had lived on the street f...

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“Always Take Your Car to the Mechanic” by Kayla Gamble

Submitted to Contest #193

"Every time you do something nice for me, something bad happens," Veronica bemoaned. "That's not true," replied Erica. Veronica rubbed her hands over her face. "It's the truest thing ever." "I'm literally just dropping you off at the airport. That's it. That's it!" Veronica clenched her teeth, eyeing the clock against the wall. She'd need to leave soon to make her flight. She sighed and threw up her hands, "Okay. Fine." Erica popped up from the couch. "Great! Let me find my keys and we'll get going. They're arou...

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“Not So Tough” by Michael Lewis

Submitted to Contest #193

It was on my 26th birthday that the little green card arrived. I had a pretty good idea what the card meant, although at that time my ability to read and understand Hebrew was only about six inches ahead of negligible. I went next door to my neighbor. "Shmulik, I think this is my army induction notice, am I right?" He told me I had to attend the army center for new recruits joining the Nachal unit in two weeks. I took the bus down to the induction center, a few kilometers north of Tel Aviv. There we went through...

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“The House Dog and The Stray” by Natacha Bertrand

Submitted to Contest #193

From his windowsill, House Dog was anticipating his companion’s return from work for the second day in a row. His bowl had enough food for another day; the water fountain was half full, and the home was otherwise empty. House Dog kept a watchful eye for the familiar brown loafers. He periodically noticed The Stray, though he was a vagrant, arousing disturbances every now and then, too clueless to remain unseen. Each time, House Dog’s gaze turned away from the commotion the filthy, emaciated creature caused. He had seen him up close once. The...

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“The Fungus of Avery Island” by Eric Lizotte

Submitted to Contest #193

In the year 2043, the world had become a desolate wasteland after a nuclear and biochemical war that no one could remember the beginning of, only their current struggle. Amidst the ruins, a small group of survivors had managed to forge a fragile community on Avery Island, Louisiana. This island, once renowned for its tabasco peppers (and sauce), lush gardens and exotic birds, was now a shadow of its former glory. Among the survivors was Franz Holdenberg, a resourceful and resilient man known for his unmatched verbal and historical skills and...

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“Thought that counts” by Michael Heavener

Submitted to Contest #193

I caused a missionary family an enormous amount of grief because they stopped to help me on the way home. They were on their way to the airport and didn't make their flight.The thermostat of my car stopped working and the engine overheated. I managed to get to the shoulder on kinetic energy after it quit; I was driving a car with a manual transmission, fortunately.My boss stopped to see if I needed help. I gave him my home phone number and asked him to call my wife to let her know. That was nice of him but didn't help me.Where I stopped was ...

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“Life on the rocks” by Andrew Horner

Submitted to Contest #193

I'm not usually one for writing...but there are some stories that must be told. It's always strange when life throws you a curve ball. We all know we're not going to live forever, we're mere mortals walking this earth looking for meaning and a deeper understanding of life until it’s taken away from us. A routine check-up turned my whole life upside down; when I was told by my doctor, I had four weeks to live. As a man of fifty-seven that’s still quite a shock, I was in good health, walking everywhere, but some things are out of our hands, I ...

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“Fortes” by Glenda Toews

Submitted to Contest #193

Sandwiched between Robson and Alberni streets two buildings keep company. The twenty-two-story skyscraper, a dark green prism pulled from the minds of architects at MCM sits on the corner of Thurlow and Alberni. In its shadow, on the corner of Thurlow and Robson, a rich two-story in red brick.The brick oozes finery dipped in an age of old when men removed themselves from the world to smoking rooms where they would sit in burgundy leather wing backs sipping port and chew the end of a puro while discussing world affairs. An arched mutton windo...

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“Goldilock's side” by Jacob Derouen

Submitted to Contest #193

Ok, ok hear me out… porridge isn’t all that great–It’s just ok. Why would I want to break into a bunch of terrifying predators’ quarters just for some ok food? With that being said there is basically no way that I could have had any ill intention by eating the bears’ porridge. I mean–be real– they’re bears. How could I have known that a bunch of bears turned into Todd Chrisley and got a house in the suburbs? With this all being said I still broke and entered, stole, and trespassed in an innocent family’s home. I would still like to say–despi...

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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.

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