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

Posted in Funny on Apr 7, 2023

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✍️ 53 stories

“Dirt” by Tammy Battaglia

Submitted to Contest #193

“So when they said we would be hosting an auditor from corporate this week, I didn’t imagine he would look like that,” Jeanie said motioning toward reception. Starbucks cup in hand, Lisa pushed her glasses further up on her nose and sipped her hot chai tea latte with caramel syrup as she swiveled in her chair. Jeanie wasn’t wrong. The man at the counter was easy on the eyes. 6 foot-ish, dark wavy hair that had clearly been brushed but was still a little unruly, soft blue eyes and full lips that now stretched over perfect white teeth i...

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“A Meeting of the Glorious Immortals” by Daniel Dundin

Submitted to Contest #193

You’ve got this, Felix. You’re practiced and prepared. Show them you were the right choice.“Good Evening, Everyone! We have a very, very exciting… um, hello? Hi?” The crowd, chatting excitedly amongst themselves, took no notice. He was tempted to tap on the mic as some people do, but he feared that would seem amateurish. “Excuse me? Please, everyone…if you would, uh, take your seats and…ok, uh, let’s quiet down. Shush, shush.” Felix could feel himself losing patience with the noisy group. His face was pale, angular, and freakishly ...

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“A Deadly Favor” by David Reynders

Submitted to Contest #193

Jarome and Jesse had dreamed about attending the University of North Carolina since they moved to Charlotte when they were young boys. They grew up next door to each other and were best friends in high school. Jarome and Jesse worked hard throughout high school, both earning top grades and participating in various activities. Jarome was an avid basketball and soccer player, and he volunteered his time to help the local Boys & Girls Club. Jesse was a member of several clubs at school, including the student council, debate team, ...

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“DO ME A FAVOR… DELETE THAT LAST MESSAGE” by Laura Orrantia

Submitted to Contest #193

“Hi, this is Amy. I’m away from my phone right now but if you leave a message, I’ll get back to you as soon as I can.” (BEEP) “Hey…It’s me! I really need to talk to you!! I’m freaking out!!! I don’t know what to do! I don’t think I slept at all last night!! My head is killing me. I can’t think clearly… actually, what I think is that I’m still drunk?! To be honest… I don’t know what the hell happened!? Wait… Oh god… I think I’m going to throw up again. (Retching sound) Sorry about that. Anyway, I really need to tell you about last night… You ...

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“The Devil's Pen ” by Miah Jardine

Submitted to Contest #193

Our story begins on a stormy night, with Jack settling into his seat on a plane. He had always been a nervous flyer, and the turbulence only made things worse. But he was determined to stay calm, to keep his fears in check. He thought best to distract himself with some work and took his pen and notebook out to try and turn his mind to other matters. With added frustration he noticed his pen would not work. He stabbed at the paper beneath his clenched fist cursing silently at the pen under his breath as the plane continued to be rolled and pu...

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“Onward” by Lyle Closs

Submitted to Contest #193

I sold the building business to my brother for five big ones. He’ll make that back in a few weeks. It was worth so much more, but that’s all the cash he had. I swapped motors with him. He kept the truck. I took his ‘66 Beetle. Slept on his sofa. Slept? Not much. I had packed a few changes of clothes and a few things I wanted to keep. My plastic miniature of the Thinker. The framed copy of the Constitution. Asimov’s I Robot which I still haven’t read. Ten vinyl records. One day I’ll get a record player. Tent and sleeping bag. Clim...

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“What Does the Hawk Say?” by Rose McKenney

Submitted to Contest #193

The Twins The sun was sinking, going to bed for the night, and Alora wished she could do the same, but there were other plans in the works for her. There was no turning back from the path laid before her. Her brother had worked too hard to get her into The Academy; she couldn’t back down now. Even as this thought occurred to her, there was a loud, “smack” against the frosty glass of her third-floor window. She jumped at the sound; she found that she was often jumpy these days. Peering out, she saw a red-tailed hawk who h...

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“The Potter Knows Everything” by Linda Lovendahl

Submitted to Contest #193

And, strange to tell, among the Earthen Lot Some could articulate, while others not: And suddenly one more impatient cried – “Who is the Potter, pray, and who the Pot?”1 I explained to my friends on moving day that my future roommate Korissa had committed to bring a few more laborers to help us out and provide us with a flatbed trailer. She and I got to know each other as professionals in our fields at mutual workshops near her townhouse and it only seemed practical to migrate to her place when my new job started. But my friends and I hem...

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“The Tin Whistle Tavern” by Dean Jones

Submitted to Contest #193

Luminous rays of red-orange sunlight pierced through the old glass windows granting the entire taproom of the Tin Whistle Tavern a cheery evening glow. Ashford Hogle stood proudly behind the bar as he had every night for the past three decades, serving food and drink to the various commoners and adventurers that found themselves in the middling town of Gray Briar. He had long ago accepted that there was higher quality ale to be found in the city, as well as finer food. However, the fare he served and the establishment that served it was his,...

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“The Campaign Speech” by MaryJo Powrozek Rosso

Submitted to Contest #193

“Senator Bering! Thank you so much for coming to my event! It’s such an honor to have your support.” “Of course, Jessica! When I heard that you were running for the Wisconsin House Seat, I had my people on the phone right away. ‘That sweetheart was my best speechwriter!’ I told my staff. ‘We need to get her into that seat!’ I had ‘em call your campaign office right away. Took a while to hear back from them, to be honest. You might need to check and see if they’re really doing their jobs! Hohoho… If I didn’t know better, I’d say you didn’t ...

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“Skin-deep” by Corneigh Hoff

Submitted to Contest #193

Glenda Gracious was born with a severe skin condition, and even though cosmetics offered numerous ways of masking it, it was always conspicuously visible. On the left side of her face, the red, raspy skin seemed to pull down her left eye and make the corner of her mouth drop. * At school, children called her Sandpaper Girl and later, in the years of puberty, she was ignored and shunned by most boys. In her eagerness to be wanted and admired, she was perhaps too permissive to what she called the leftover boys. Just before her 17th birthday t...

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“The Owls” by Irum Sarfaraz

Submitted to Contest #193

The wallpaper was expensive, as were all the other upgrades in our three-bedroom apartment in a gated community in the midst of the city–wooden floors, intricate crown molding, baseboard trims, granite tops in the kitchen and bathrooms, tall windows that added drama to the rooms, a red brick wall in the family room, and white marble tiles in the large balcony, to name a few. Adding further character and depth to an already impressive ambiance, were custom-made curtains, color coordinated with the pastel walls in every room, handmade Af...

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“A Lunar Triumph” by Brad Weatherley

Submitted to Contest #193

Nethra turned over in her bed, risen by the sound of a hermit thrush bird’s song that floated in through the hole in the side of her home, a grand oak tree. She threw her quilted blanket off of herself, sweating and chilled to the bone. The young nymph tapped a glass jar on her bedside table that swiftly illuminated with fireflies, lighting up her dwelling, so that she could put on an extra set of clothes and her shoes. It was a cold dark night, darker than usual, and the vibrations in the forest were out of tune with the creatures that live...

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“The boats can't make themsleves” by Lukasz Podgorski

Submitted to Contest #193

Stachu was a boat builder living a lonely life far away from any city, having only his dock that connected his place of living with the city's harbour by the river, and the little hut he lived in. That was the lifestyle that suited him for most of his life - until he became really old, that is. Lack of friends or family or, for that matter, anyone that could help with his heavy labour, became a real issue for the old man. He was not wealthy, so the concept of retirement was not available to him but, at the same time, he knew very well that h...

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“The Chetster” by Nick Baldino

Submitted to Contest #193

It was just an anatomy test. That’s all it was. Some tenth-grade, end of quarter, name-all-the-bones-in-the-axial-skeleton test. It took me 45 minutes to finish, and then I up and left for lunch. I was walking when I heard him running up behind me, his untied shoelaces slapping on the linoleum. I turned to see what freak was about to blow past me, but he didn’t. He slowed and started walking to my right. “Hey there, man!” he said in a pitch that sounded like synagogue Steve Buscemi. A dark black fedora covered his unkempt brown hair, and ...

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

Submissions are closed

✍️ 53 stories

“Dirt” by Tammy Battaglia

“A Meeting of the Glorious Immortals” by Daniel Dundin

“A Deadly Favor” by David Reynders

“DO ME A FAVOR… DELETE THAT LAST MESSAGE” by Laura Orrantia

“The Devil's Pen ” by Miah Jardine

“Onward” by Lyle Closs

“What Does the Hawk Say?” by Rose McKenney

“The Potter Knows Everything” by Linda Lovendahl

“The Tin Whistle Tavern” by Dean Jones

“The Campaign Speech” by MaryJo Powrozek Rosso

“Skin-deep” by Corneigh Hoff

“The Owls” by Irum Sarfaraz

“A Lunar Triumph” by Brad Weatherley

“The boats can't make themsleves” by Lukasz Podgorski

“The Chetster” by Nick Baldino

🌟 Similar prompts

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

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

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

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

Contest #193

Enter our weekly contest!

$250

Prize money

186

Contest entries

115

Stories

Win $250 in our short story competition 🏆

Explore more writing prompt ideas: