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101 Word Short Stories

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Supper at 7-Eleven

January 1, 2023 17 Comments

By Mike Smithwell

“I’ll leave the heat on for you, honey,” he said to the toddler. “Daddy’s going to run into the store to get us something to eat. Stay buckled, okay?”

He hurried into the gas station with a handful of Powerball tickets and a prayer. In the chip aisle, he picked up a family-size bag of Cheetos. The price: $7.49. He put them back and grabbed a snack-size bag instead along with some milk.

At the register, head down, he slid the tickets forward.

“You’re a winner!”

His heart skipped a beat.

“$10. You want the cash?”

“How about three more tickets?”

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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Patricia Stott-Prince says

    January 1, 2023 at 10:03 am

    Well done. So many addictions,, so hard to stop..

    Reply
    • Mike Smithwell says

      January 3, 2023 at 9:15 pm

      Yes, so many addicitions out there that affect many peoples lives. Thank you for reading my story and I’m happy you enjoyed it.

      Reply
  2. James says

    January 1, 2023 at 1:12 pm

    I’ve seen it more than I wish I had to. Great work.

    Reply
    • Mike Smithwell says

      January 3, 2023 at 9:19 pm

      Thank you for the read.

      Reply
    • Yvonne Eliot says

      January 4, 2023 at 12:13 pm

      ????

      Reply
      • Yvonne Eliot says

        January 4, 2023 at 12:14 pm

        Ah. Comment box doesn’t like emojis.

        Very sad and relatable.

        Reply
  3. Valli says

    January 2, 2023 at 5:17 pm

    Well done… enjoyed the read … and addictions have no limits…kudos…

    Reply
    • Mike Smithwell says

      January 3, 2023 at 9:22 pm

      Thank you for reading my story, and I’m glad you enjoyed it.

      Reply
  4. Stephany says

    January 3, 2023 at 2:38 pm

    This sort of reminds me of my dad growing up. Gambling addiction is no joke and hard to kick. Reading this I can literally hear the machine call out, “You’re a Winner!” This is a powerful story in just 101 words. Great job!

    Reply
  5. Stephany says

    January 3, 2023 at 2:43 pm

    This sort of reminds me of my dad growing up. Gambling addiction is no joke and hard to kick. Reading this I can literally hear the machine call out, “You’re a Winner!” Then seeing my dads eyes light up in excitement, even if it was just a few dollars. This is a powerful story in just 101 words. Great job!

    Reply
    • Stephany says

      January 3, 2023 at 2:49 pm

      Oops, I thought that I was editing what I wrote, but it created another one.

      Reply
    • Mike Smithwell says

      January 3, 2023 at 9:36 pm

      For some that sound just means they are going to have to wait longer in line. For others it has negitive memory attached. Addictions are powerfull things. I hope he got the help he needed.

      Thanks for the read and kind words.

      Reply
  6. Toni Brayer says

    January 4, 2023 at 10:53 am

    Really really good. I can picture an entire life from these 100 words.

    Reply
  7. yogita says

    January 4, 2023 at 10:58 am

    Sad, how addictions change your priorities..very well written. Enjoyed reading this

    Reply
  8. DAVID HIGHAM says

    January 4, 2023 at 11:07 am

    Wow, that really packs a punch. Well done.

    Reply
  9. Bud says

    January 4, 2023 at 2:15 pm

    Powerful commentary on how a gambling addiction can adversely affect a family.

    Nice job!

    Reply
  10. Glenda says

    January 5, 2023 at 10:52 am

    Oh, yes! Great ending. Well done.

    Reply

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