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

“Backhoe Blues” by Tanya Humphreys

Submitted to Contest #193

Solomon attacked the yard with an iron toothed rake, scraping and pulling at the scraggly weeds, adding them to the mountain of crap behind him. Sol fanned his reddened face with his wide brimmed fedora, leaning on the rake. His sandy brown hair bunched into damp tufts on his head, and his two-day stubble shimmered golden highlights in the early springtime sun. Sol’s tee was soaked to near see-throughness. “Hey buddy. That’s gonna take ya a week if ya keep on like that.” Sol’s next-door neighbor, Brian, was peeking over the fence between...

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“Doctor Sim: A Cursed Boon” by Tanush Mahendra

Submitted to Contest #193

“Doctor, run! We know the universe needs you. As the stars twinkle and the moons shine above, let the night keep our secret safe. Goodbye, doctor, and all the best for your journey." And that was the last time we saw the lunatic-turned Brilliant Scientist Dr. Sim Phones. Well, where are my storytelling manners? The entire ruckus started on 1st Protochornia 1814 A.D. The first inter-galactic war that had started one light year back was causing much more damage to our planet Cellula than our enemy planet Ayrmia because they had developed a v...

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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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“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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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

“Backhoe Blues” by Tanya Humphreys

“Doctor Sim: A Cursed Boon” by Tanush Mahendra

“Birdie” by Emory Pearson

“"A Mother's Love"” by Lindy King

“The Road to Hell” by Jennifer Fremon

“Bad Vibes” by Alex Logan

“A truth for a blackmail” by John Singer

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

🌟 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: