Unexpected Gift

            There are general rules about gift-giving.

            If an invitation says no gifts, then you don’t appear with a gift in hand.

            If it says bring a gift for a shelter pet or a hospitalized child, then you don’t show up with an expensive bottle of wine. Or a fancy crystal platter.

            When someone hands you a gift, you thank them even if it’s something you can’t stand. Or if you’d specified no gifts. Or if it’s your in-laws whom you don’t want to offend.

            Your task is to write a story in which an unusual and perhaps unwanted gift is involved.

            Have fun with this one.

The Gift

            Most people enjoy opening gifts, excited about what surprise hides under the wrapping paper. Big or small, young or old, eyes light up when a gift is presented.

            Not all gifts are equal, however. Imagine getting a doll at age seventeen, not a collector’s doll, but one geared for a ten-year-old. Most teens would politely smile in front of the giver, then return it to the store at the soonest opportunity.

            Imagine, on the other hand, being given an expense-paid trip to Italy! New York City! Yosemite!

            Or tickets to a Broadway play, or concert, accompanied by dinner at a high-end restaurant.

            Your task is to write a story in which your character receives an unusual gift, preferably one that isn’t wanted. Emotional reactions are key.

            Have fun with this one.