Exercise in Futility

Entry for 1/31/25 writers cramp.

I alternated tapping my feet just to keep my mind from wandering. Returning gifts is the worst—especially unwanted ones. I held the baseball bat in one hand with the end leaning up against my right shoulder. I wonder if I looked threatening. Probably not in my pjs and slippers. My turn at the counter.

"I got this for Christmas, from my nephew." I handed the clerk the bat.

"Nice bat!"

"Which I have no use for."

"Do you have a gift receipt?"

"No."

"Then I'll have to give you store credit."

I frowned, "What am I going to do with store credit at a sporting goods store?"

"Buy a treadmill?" The clerk mumbled under her breath.

I am plump, not fat. I hate the way people were always implying I need exercise. "Do you have any t-shirts in 4x?"

"Uh no. Though we do have some lovely jogging shoes in the shoe department that should fit."

"Just give me a gift card for store credit."

The clerk shrugged and prepped the gift card. "SIgn on the screen..."

I did. Then I accepted the card. Guess what my nephew was getting for his birthday...


194 words

PROMPT ▶︎

FORUM

The Writer's Cramp  (13+) Write the best story or poem in 24 hours or less and win 10K GPS! #333655 by Sophy

NEW PROMPT DUE - 19 hours 13 minutes 40 seconds

Write a story or poem inspired by this prompt:

*Exclaimp* After a great week of celebrating The Cramp's 23rd Birthday,
it's time to return that one unwanted gift.

What gift are you returning and why?

*Exclaimp* One of your genres must be Comedy