Write about someone in a thankless job.

Posted in Teens on Oct 26, 2022

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✍️ 33 stories

“The Birthday Gift” by Michael Montserrat

Submitted to Contest #121

It was a special day, although it seemed as ordinary as all the others. Today's work had a great purpose: to get a present for his sister who was completing her tenth birthday. It would be comforting for both him and the girl to forget the hardships of reality and celebrate, even in the midst of so many difficulties. He got up earlier than usual, careful not to wake his brothers, four in all, being the eldest. The sun had not yet shown its grace, perhaps embarrassed at having to reveal that harsh daily scene.The boy had to get th...

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“Still Morning” by Megan DeRouin

Submitted to Contest #121

Still MorningThe birds always trilled the song of morning during the spring and summer, but during the fall and winter even they would fade into the silence that hung over Our Lady of Mercy Cemetery. It had always been a small cemetery, with a pond in the back corner and a tract of protected land to the left. The wrought iron fence that faced the street had long since been overrun with vines and scrub-brush. No one was buried anymore in Our Lady of Mercy, it was too full and had been for nearly a hundred years. The residents seemed to like i...

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“The Nature of Being a Necromancer” by CJ Rodgers

Submitted to Contest #121

There were three Laws of Nature. One: Don’t change the natural order of things.Two: Don’t expect the universe to play fair.And Three: Never, ever try to cheat Death. A necromancer’s job was to violate all three rules (and get paid for it). Ashby wiped their forehead of sweat and leaned on the shovel, taking a deep breath as their stomach churned. They hadn't eaten before this but now it was coming back to haunt them. Digging up the grave of the deceased was the worst part of being a necromancer. One might think it was wat...

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“I don't want no Scrubs.....Hospital Scrubs, that is.” by Sarah Belcher

Submitted to Contest #121

I had already woken up on the wrong side of the bed this morning, or late morning I should say. Groggy and sleepy eyed, I creep out of bed slowly as I sluggishly make my way down the hall and begin my mid morning routine. I started the coffee pot, just as I do every single day at this same time. While the sweet aroma of my vanilla bean coffee saturated the air around me, I fumble around in the cabinets and pull out my favorite coffee mug; the one I had bought at one of the campgrounds that I adore so much. I favor this cup greatly, even with...

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“Number 12” by Leah Murphy

Submitted to Contest #121

Miller flipped through the presentation binder without reading it, his anger evident. “These are the same results as last week, Number 12. What are you trying to accomplish again?” “I told you yesterday sir, at the meeting” he replied meekly. His boss stopped turning the pages and glanced up at the technician incredulously. He did his best to maintain eye contact, but as Miller’s stare grew harder he had to glance at the floor. There was no denying he was an intimidating presence, but really that’s all there is. He’s a military man, not a ...

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“A Day in the Life of a Retail Worker” by Hannah Foust

Submitted to Contest #121

Working in retail is a daily struggle, dealing with people of all kinds, and usually not the most pleasant, often the employees are overlooked as humans, and now with the current problems, there are those feeling underappreciated, and leaving because the job is just too stressful, of course there are also those who prefer government handouts rather than earning their way, but that’s another story altogether. Let me give you an inside to the retail life. Every day I rise early to go to work, scarf down breakfast if I have time, which is ...

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“The Lunch Lady” by Kendri Petersen

Submitted to Contest #121

I’ve watched these children file through this line for years now. I’ve fed them and seen them grow. Most of them don’t even know my name. To them, I am a joke, something to mock. They’ve never paid me a ‘thank you’ or even a thought after I give them their food. The vibration of a tray against the trashcan echoes in my ears. An untouched burger flops into the garbage can along with an unopened fruit cup and a serving of corn. The corn I came in early to perfect this morning. More trays bang. The line leading up to the trash cans dwindles a...

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“At Work the Whole Time” by Lin Macredie

Submitted to Contest #121

TW*** Gun Violence They wanted more than just getting by. It wasn’t supposed to become a career. They wanted to be able to afford a trip to New Zealand or to see the Parthenon. These jobs weren’t supposed to be their future. Acrylic nails that would have paid for a tub of ice cream several times clicked on the counter. Cassie kept a neutral, polite face while thinking a pair of pliers would take care of that obnoxious clicking and send a clear message. Nobody wants to deal with this kind of shit. She glanced down the line of people with ...

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“Thankless Teachers ” by Karen Lethlean

Submitted to Contest #121

Thankless Teachers What could I put on these reports? “Use dirty praise,” school executive instructs. Dirty praise, right, limits possibilities. But I can understand why we’ve been told this. After all, these final reports will be seen by potential employers. No point in making things difficult for our boys, or the school, with comments about unfinished homework, or their tendencies to talk back, or an obsession with I-Pads, games or mobile phones. Attendance statistics inform employers about punctuality. So, not my job to make another ...

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“Exhaustingly Rewarding” by Tammy Hwang

Submitted to Contest #121

“Mom! Mom! Where’s my sweater?” I looked over at my screaming 7 year old staring at her phone near the door getting ready for school. Was she even talking to me? I hate it when she calls out to me and doesn’t make eye contact. “Are you talking to me Lilly?” I sigh already feeling exhausted at 7:30am. I stopped washing the dishes from breakfast to go on a hunt for her sweater when I hear a loud crash. I run to the living where I find my 4 year old peaking at me from behind the couch. “I’m ok!” Ellie says with a nod. I ...

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“Karidad” by Hanna Sinajon

Submitted to Contest #121

"Nang, palihog ko'g hipos sa mga butang sa mga bata. Mo larga ta'g Bohol ugma" said Jean, the 34 year old "amo" who's working in a 10-hour night shift at a call center with her husband, Carlito. "Sige ma'am" answered Nang Karing. She hates traveling to Bohol. In fact, she hates it there but what else can she do, she has no other obligation but to take care of the kids. She sighs and gets back to finishing the laundry. While cooking for dinner, Jean furiously calls her to their bedroom "Nang wala paman lage ka naka hipos?" (Nang, why have...

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“Broken Eggs Don't Always Make Omelets” by Bob Faszczewski

Submitted to Contest #121

Throughout his youth in Elizabeth, New Jersey the mysterious John Wilenski’s actions and appearance convinced many of his neighbors and peers that his actual age amounted to a much smaller number than that displayed on his birth certificate or sworn to by his parents and other relatives. Noone, however, had any idea how the perception of his youth would carve out a future path none of them ever imagined. &...

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“Recollection” by J. W.

Submitted to Contest #121

[*This story does contain some violent images and slight foul language.*] Samantha Ward sat at her desk in her little basement office day-dreaming about what she would cook for dinner tonight. Well, it was already night, so maybe whatever she would cook for breakfast would be best. She was going over in her head all the different things. Waffles with syrup dripping down the sides into little pools of sticky and gooey sweetness, all of which is complemented only by the crispiest and most tender fried chicken that - Oh no!. . . seems to have g...

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“Do Not Disturb” by Melissa Maize

Submitted to Contest #121

My mother had always said I lacked ambition. It sounds cruel, but it’s true. That drive, that fire that pushes people is more of an absent-minded flicker in me. I had been stubbornly average in high school, teetering on mediocre, before half-heartedly enrolling in some community college classes after I graduated. None of them stuck, which is how I ended up cleaning strangers’ messes in the Pinewood Hotel. People act differently in hotels. It’s their impermanence, you stay a couple of nights, leave, and you think it grants you anonymity. Th...

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“Motherhood ” by Allie Guilderson

Submitted to Contest #121

Curse men and their useless nipples. Every night I’m passed out by ten o’clock, something my husband never fails to jeer at me for. “You’re 22, you should be staying up past midnight. You’re no fun anymore.” I’m so exhausted, I could cry. My night shirt smells of spit up and body odor. Today was hideous, the toddler threw tantrum after tantrum. When I finally lost my temper, my husband said I shouldn’t yell at her like that and proceeded to explain how I ought to have dealt with the situation. If he is so knowledgeable then he should...

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Write about someone in a thankless job.

Submissions are closed

✍️ 33 stories

“The Birthday Gift” by Michael Montserrat

“Still Morning” by Megan DeRouin

“The Nature of Being a Necromancer” by CJ Rodgers

“I don't want no Scrubs.....Hospital Scrubs, that is.” by Sarah Belcher

“Number 12” by Leah Murphy

“A Day in the Life of a Retail Worker” by Hannah Foust

“The Lunch Lady” by Kendri Petersen

“At Work the Whole Time” by Lin Macredie

“Thankless Teachers ” by Karen Lethlean

“Exhaustingly Rewarding” by Tammy Hwang

“Karidad” by Hanna Sinajon

“Broken Eggs Don't Always Make Omelets” by Bob Faszczewski

“Recollection” by J. W.

“Do Not Disturb” by Melissa Maize

“Motherhood ” by Allie Guilderson

🌟 Similar prompts

Start your story with someone saying “Thanks a lot” (sarcastically or sincerely).

Write about someone giving or receiving a gift.

Write a story in which someone gets credit for something they didn’t do.

Write about a character who struggles to express their thanks.

Contest #121

Enter our weekly contest!

$250

Prize money

147

Contest entries

113

Stories

Win $250 in our short story competition 🏆

Explore more writing prompt ideas: