You check the time. Perfect. As intended, you've arrived fashionably late.

Posted in Funny on Oct 26, 2022

Submissions are closed

Sorry, we are not accepting submissions for this prompt as it is not part of an active contest. Make sure you don't miss our next contest by creating your free Reedsy Prompts account.

Or create a new Reedsy account:

Why not check out our active contest?

✍️ 116 stories

“Is There Anybody There?” by Deborah Mercer

Submitted to Contest #47

You’ll be the last to arrive. Of course you will. On principle. You might sometimes put on this act of being scatty and forgetful, or even come up with some story (which may be true once in a hundred times) about some unexpected delay. But when you do self-effacing it’s less than convincing. The truth is, it’s a mixture between a self cultivated “endearing quirk” and the certainty that your company, your conversation, and your very self are so fascinating that nobody will mind waiting. &n...

2 comments 2

Read story

“Late Again” by Chris Buono

Submitted to Contest #47

You check your watch just before entering the double doors of the parlor. Eleven forty-two o’clock. Perfect. Just perfect. “Fashionably late” as always. It was not your fault this time, though. Really. Even though you have the habit that’s earned the reputation of being the one that shows up after everyone else, you have an excuse. No one woke you up this morning. You arose an hour prior to an empty house with a pain in your ribs, forgetting that your family had a funeral to attend. You only know that this funeral is happening at midda...

4 comments 4

Read story

“childhood bedroom ” by Millie Spence

Submitted to Contest #47

Every year in the summer, you trek down from London to spend time with your parents in your family home in Kent. You dread it every year, they always get you to sit in the garden with them and help them pull up weeds, or they try to set you up with one of their friend’s daughters, who are always delightful, by the way, just not your type. They always beg you to get a real job, saying that YouTube is not a stable career, despite the fact that you are earning more money for doing less work. They would never understand your life choices and you...

10 comments 10

Read story

“Better Late Than Never” by Kathleen March

Submitted to Contest #47

You check the time. The time is perfect. Your timing is impeccable. You’ve arrived fashionably late. That was how you intended to do it. Arrive late. Very fashionable. Very deadly, too. You are ready - for deadly or for anything else. Your fingers slip noiselessly into your pockets, the right as well as the left. Each hand encounters what it seeks, what it craves. Something cool and smooth, something necessary, something potentially lethal. In each pocket, on each hip, something is there, but concealed. You move forward, tryi...

10 comments 10

Read story

“Quashing a Lifelong Dream” by Dobby's Sock

Submitted to Contest #47

"I suppose it is not fashionable," you chuckle to the first mourner you come across. She doesn't as much as bat her eyelids but stares at you coldly. She moves away before you can bow to her.You had a plan today. You arrived with one. But it was no sordid intention of yours to wear a canary-colored suit when everyone is in black.A splash of color in a space where dark patches can be found shuffling at snail-pace, that is what you are. A color that no one needs and the hour of the day, down to the minutes seem to loathe you for your dari...

7 comments 7

Read story

“Don't Be Fooled” by Magnet Marsdaughter

Submitted to Contest #47

“You check the time. Perfect. As intended, you’ve arrived fashionably late. You stroll in and hand your invitation to the security guard, who waves you in. You’ll see her beyond the glass double doors, in a slinky blue ballgown. She approaches as you enter, wearing a polite hostess smile that’s veiling suspicion. She knows the name and face of every guest scheduled to come or not come tonight. And you're not on her list. Her high heels click in contrast to the gentle dance music floating in from the next room. She is the very image of carin...

14 comments 14

Read story

“Traversing Traffic: A Lesson on Relativity” by Micah Granada

Submitted to Contest #47

Rush hour in Manila is characterized by ironically immobile vehicles, a mixture of cacophonic sounds, and the hustling of people hurrying to get somewhere. People's faces are transparent with tiredness and intolerance. Every terminal is occupied by passengers willing to push themselves inside the buses or hitch a ride in already cramped jeepneys, not minding the struggle of competing against people with the same degree of exhaustion. It is an everyday battle to fight in the city—the battle against time. Everyone is looking at their watches, ...

5 comments 5

Read story

“Cotton-wool World” by Felicity Edwards

Submitted to Contest #47

You look at the clock. Perfect, although time has dragged, you’ve arrived fashionably late back at the department. You are aware of a silly grin on your face, but you don’t care, David will be there waiting. He times his plane trip, so he is there just before you finish work, always waiting. You observe unusually the door to the office is closed. You are aware of a strange impression but are too sensible to give into whimsy and imagine something ominous, but that sensation is still there. You tap on the door and Muriel says to come in....

2 comments 2

Read story

“Carnations” by Leanne Mara

Submitted to Contest #47

It’s rather gloomy out today, you suppose. How fitting. A glooming peace this morning with it brings. Some shall be punished indeed. The cars pulled up some time ago, one by one into the parking lot, startling the grey morning quiet with the thudding of the doors, the performative scrape of high heels on asphalt. Strained voices, quiet words. Brief hugs, dry handshakes. Even if you didn’t already know perfectly well, you’d still be able to clock who is actually meant to be here by what they hold in their hands. Some thoughtful ...

0 comments 0

Read story

“Wedding Rush” by Sarah M. Ali

Submitted to Contest #47

You check the time. Perfect. As usual, you’ve arrived fashionably late. You quickly step out of your red Ford Fusion and hurry down the parking lot toward the small flower shop tucked between Starbucks and the grocery store. Despite its small size, Blooming Flowers is the most inviting store in this shopping center. The long strip of shade area in front of the store a bright candy apple red, with a variety of flowers on it. The front side of the shop is made of glass windows from floor to ceiling, providing a clear view of the inside, l...

2 comments 2

Read story

“Perfectly Timed” by Nanci Arvizu

Submitted to Contest #47

You can tell yourself your fashionably late but that’s just the voice in your head trying to convince you you’re not just late. As usual. And let’s not forget, you’ll need to leave early tonight because your husband will be at home with his nose to the clock. And he’ll be waiting all night for you to call saying you’re on your way home.Don’t even think about backing out now. You’re here, aren’t you? You had to claw your way out of the house for just a few hours of you time, so no way in hell are you going to slip back to your car, drive...

8 comments 8

Read story

“Daylight Savings Time” by Blane Britt

Submitted to Contest #47

This was going to be the most important engagement of my life. Sure I was purposely unfashionably late on the day I was to show up to be inducted into the armed forces. Had I been one day later I could have saved Muhamad Ali. You see I was scheduled to be on time at my U.S. Armed Forces induction in Houston, Texas on April 27, 1967. Ali induction ceremony took place on the 28th. Had I not fled to Canada like a lot of draft dodgers in that era. For those of you who can’t relate it has nothing to do with sports. (A draft dodger or draft resi...

1 comment 1

Read story

“uh..weird” by Liya Mariyam

Submitted to Contest #47

it's a quite and a calm Sunday morning . nothing out of the blue just a lazy Sunday . nobody's in a hurry to reach to places everyone are either sleeping or lazily sitting in comfortable chair reading the latest news while sipping hot and homely fresh coffee. i was no different and doing just the same . after waking up at a reasonable hour ,i make fresh warm coffee and settle down for a breakfast of toast and eggs all the while brooding over an interesting novel. after few minutes i clean the dishes grab my phone and the book and head upstai...

8 comments 8

Read story

“Life of the Party” by Abigail Mitchell

Submitted to Contest #47

3:00 AM glows on the dashboard. Perfect. As intended, you’ve arrived fashionably late. You turn the keys in the ignition, making the air vents wheeze and silencing the rumble of your car’s engine. The anticipation feels warm and bubbly—the way a good drink makes you feel—as you push open the driver’s side door and step into the cool night, music from the estate rippling the air with its rhythmic hum. Your heartbeat is slow and steady in your chest. You know the secret. Snug in your pocket, it tugs on the right side o...

4 comments 4

Read story

“Routines” by Elle Woffinden

Submitted to Contest #47

You wake up at the appropriate time of 6:30 am only to hit the snooze alarm to give yourself another ten minutes. Despite it being such a short time, it makes you feel that warming sense of happiness, something you really do deserve. You get up at 6:40 and get ready for work. You shower, put on your suit and head to your coffee place. Your coffee place is small but you like it that way. It is that type of small where as once you walk in, the smell of beans brewing and the hissing from the espresso machine greet your face as you enter. The w...

3 comments 3

Read story

Load more stories

🌟 Similar prompts

As you check your mail, you notice a letter that makes you stop in your tracks.

Thriller and Suspense – 213 stories

"Just say it," you silently reminded yourself. You knew you'd regret it if you didn't.

Nonfiction – 218 stories

You looked out the window and, not for the first time, thought about how wrong the weather forecast had been.

Nonfiction – 146 stories

Suitcase in hand, you head to the station.

Adventure – 188 stories

Contest #47

Enter our weekly contest!

This week's theme: Second Person

$50

Prize money

881

Contest entries

0

Stories

Ended on 23:59 - Jun 26, 2020 EST

Won by Miranda Carter 🏆

Title: My Mother's Sky

View details

Win $250 in our short story competition 🏆

We'll send you 5 prompts each week. Respond with your short story and you could win $250!

Menu

CONNECT

BLOG

APPS

TOOLS

ABOUT

You check the time. Perfect. As intended, you've arrived fashionably late.

Submissions are closed

✍️ 116 stories

“Is There Anybody There?” by Deborah Mercer

“Late Again” by Chris Buono

“childhood bedroom ” by Millie Spence

“Better Late Than Never” by Kathleen March

“Quashing a Lifelong Dream” by Dobby's Sock

“Don't Be Fooled” by Magnet Marsdaughter

“Traversing Traffic: A Lesson on Relativity” by Micah Granada

“Cotton-wool World” by Felicity Edwards

“Carnations” by Leanne Mara

“Wedding Rush” by Sarah M. Ali

“Perfectly Timed” by Nanci Arvizu

“Daylight Savings Time” by Blane Britt

“uh..weird” by Liya Mariyam

“Life of the Party” by Abigail Mitchell

“Routines” by Elle Woffinden

🌟 Similar prompts

As you check your mail, you notice a letter that makes you stop in your tracks.

"Just say it," you silently reminded yourself. You knew you'd regret it if you didn't.

You looked out the window and, not for the first time, thought about how wrong the weather forecast had been.

Suitcase in hand, you head to the station.

Contest #47

Enter our weekly contest!

$50

Prize money

881

Contest entries

0

Stories

Win $250 in our short story competition 🏆

Explore more writing prompt ideas: