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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

“Office Coffee Girl” by Valorie Good

Submitted to Contest #193

Trigger Warning: pregnancy terminationA lot of life was lived leading up to this moment.I decided to start my own company in 2020, Spaulding Murals and Painting. I loved painting, I'm an artist and I have enough knowledge and experience painting interiors to make money doing it, I figured.I painted murals in a few homes and filled my house with my own expression from wall to wall. I loved this job, but it was short-lived, as the market for murals is very small and pretty cornered by other artists who need work (most artists). I ended up bran...

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“Deavland's Tale” by Kylee Benner

Submitted to Contest #193

Part 1: The moment I was born my parents knew there was something wrong with me. Hence my name Deavland, a name said to bring misfortune, pain, and being well of course...unlucky. So fitting ya know. My father is leader of my flight which means I got all the important tasks. "Check the area" or "Tell Mother other flights are coming". He has hope. To much hope. I've tried flying but he wont understand, his hope gets in the way. I cant fly, I've tried believe me. Everyone in the flight has noticed, my wings are way to small. Not just like "oh ...

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“Siblings, Trust, and Cake” by Michael Clark

Submitted to Contest #193

“Listen. Clara Bell’s birthday is Friday. I ordered the cake. It will be ready tomorrow. So I need you to pick it up.” Laura and her husband were eating a peaceful dinner while Clara Bell was at her grandparent’s house for the night. Laura’s brother, Charles, was in attendance as well. He did not come around often, but he was “in between projects” right now. To him, that meant that he was transitioning to a new position that respected his traits and skills more. To Laura that meant that he was unemployed. Again. “I can pick it up,” Charles...

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“Rescue” by Nancy Hibbert

Submitted to Contest #193

“Have you accepted Jesus as your personal savior.” In front of their church should have been a good place to handout leaflets. People were always around, even making special trips to visit the gourmet coffee shop across the street. But it was rare anyone showed interest in the Lord who died to save them. Usually, they hurried by with disdainful glances or refused to look at them at all. When a couple from the coffee shop paused, Beckie reached for a pamphlet. She was careful to use dainty fingers on her glowing risen Christ. The cold sun li...

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“Bitter Shadows: A Tale of Broken Bonds” by Steven Goetz

Submitted to Contest #193

I glanced at the rearview mirror and saw him, slumped in the backseat with his greasy hair falling over his eyes. The sight of him ignited a fire in my chest, a familiar burning rage that I had spent years trying to extinguish. The flames licked at the edges of my heart, fueled by memories of abandonment and pain. I gripped the steering wheel tighter, my knuckles turning white as I struggled to maintain control. As a successful novelist, I was used to weaving words together into a tapestry of emotion and intrigue, but now, I could hardly for...

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“Reasons For Not Being Enough” by Kyle Sager

Submitted to Contest #193

“You can’t be serious,” I said. “It’s a 90’s minivan isn’t it? Those use gas like crazy, it’ll cost you fifty bucks to get me to O’Hare and back.” He scratched the back of his neck, fluffing up the tuft of hair sticking out in a bout of bedhead. His smile was warm like wool. “I don’t mind,” he said, still grinning. “Really.” I glanced out the window at the limoncello La Croix cans on the wooden railing from the previous evening, before we’d gone out. It was only the fifth time I’d seen him. “I can get my friend to do it...

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“The Tate Family ” by Kimberly Walker

Submitted to Contest #193

The Tate Family Has anyone ever asked for your help, then acted as if you were a nuisance? That is my co-worker Steven’s attitude on Thursdays when it’s time to count inventory. He loves to stand still with the clipboard, the inventory list, and a black pen and have you crawling over the materials to calculate the rolls and estimate how much thread is necessary for the rest of the week, month, and the end of the year. Instead of writing with a pencil because everyone knows you’re bound to find at least one or more items out of place and have...

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“A Deep, Darkish Secret” by John Steckley

Submitted to Contest #193

A Deep Darkish Secret Burt was more drunk than any of his best bar buddies had ever seen him before. But he appeared to be a happy drunk. And they were more than a little startled when he said that he was celebrating on this night something he had committed (the actual word that he had used) that was rather nasty, something decidedly awful, something he had done just the previous night. He was generally fairly close-mouthed, not usually sharing the thoughts th...

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“Madame of ice ” by Amy May

Submitted to Contest #193

Caution: contains contexts of prostitution and sexual references23rd of July 1915" it's the thought that counts." Her Father had tried to teach her this lesson, but it had never sunk in. Growing up in extreme wealth, she had expected the best of everything. So when she was presented with some material item not as spectacular as she had wished for, she would cry and pout like the poor little rich girl she had been. Now the sentence rattled in her brain like a ringing alarm clock. If it was the thought that counts, her thoughts counted for nil...

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“A Fathers Love” by Sabrina Redden

Submitted to Contest #193

The phone rings. I am assuming on the other end my Dad is calling to wish me a happy birthday. “Hey Gram!”. “ Thank you!”. “Mom is throwing me a party later, are you able to come?”. “Awesome! I cannot wait to see you Gram, we are going to have so much fun! I hope you like cake because mom got a big one!” “Okay Gram, I will see you later, love you bye!”. The phone rings again, I am sure it is Dad this time. “Hey Mike and Mrs. Baker!”. “Thank you, it’s too bad you cannot come to my party later Mike, it is going to be so much fun!”. “A gift?! W...

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“The Day I Made the Whole Thing Up - It's the thought that counts!” by Lauren Marshall

Submitted to Contest #193

Today, I got back my score for my take-home English Book Report. I had been waiting for what felt like a lifetime. You may ask me why, Peggy Jane Harper, would a girl like you - top of the fifth grade class - worry about your grades. Well, you see, the problem is… I did not read a book. In fact, I made the whole thing up. I had a busy weekend. I had done some amazing things, and simply saying a book report was not in the cards. Over the weekend, my mom and ma took me to a theme park! The three of us woke up so early it was stil...

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“In a Lonely Place” by Kat H

Submitted to Contest #193

My roommate aggravates me. She makes me want to bang my head against a wall. I've known her since we were little. Our moms used to bring us to the only swing set between our houses. There were only two rusty swings with rubber seats that chafed our legs in the summer. We were always the last two to be picked up by the school bus because that was how the route went, so we always sat in the last two seats on the bus. Our parents were the only Chinese immigrants within miles of our middle-class suburb, so they liked to get together for long h...

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“A Broken Band of Brothers” by Brandon Tucker

Submitted to Contest #193

[*This is a war story, and not necessarily a happy one, be warned there is death and uncomfortable scenarios*] I want something good to die for, to make it beautiful to live. Steadfast in the face of desperation, I will persevere. Hand in hand, brother to brother, we will make our stand. With a heart of iron and everything to give. Forget not why we crawl, for if it was easy to stand, He would not share. Glory above all else! To make our last hoorah ever grand! “Jonas! Get it together brother!” Dust swept into his eyes, the sounds became a...

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“THE MOST ORIGINAL GIFT” by Mara Masolini

Submitted to Contest #193

THE MOST ORIGINAL GIFT “ What can I give her?” Peter was wondering for days. His friend Lisa was about to turn eighteen, she would give a big party for her birthday, to which all her friends were invited. She had announced that she wouldn’t accept any gift if it was not exceptionally ORIGINAL. She didn’t want the usual presents that people get for their birthdays. Peter particularly cared about Lisa, perhaps he was even in love with her. He was certainly fascinated by her, he was enchanted by her extravagance. Lisa was an artist, she paint...

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“Pop, Pop, POP!” by Janet Boyer

Submitted to Contest #193

“Boss, I’ll totally do you this favor. I know I can do it. Trust me. After all, Dom’s been in the pen for a decade, and it’s time you trusted someone else to get the job done.” Cristo shifted from foot to foot in front of his employer’s desk. He was Tito’s first cousin, too, but the role of Boss ruled in these matters…Mr. Tito Taffoni looked up. His eyes itched. And watered.Dammit. He scratched his salt and pepper goatee. Forty years in the family business. Forty.A week away from retirement.He had to choose his successor carefully, or all of...

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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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