Wednesday 13 May 2020

OOPS! - 100 word story

I lived in the South Pacific for several years and one of the first lessons I learned was that things rarely happen as expected.


PHOTO PROMPT © Jan Wayne Fields



OOPS!

At last! His order had arrived.
Ravi breathed a sigh of relief. His stock ran out months ago. The suppliers kept making excuses and eventually admitted they'd sent his hats to the wrong country.
Oh, come on, thought Ravi. There might not be many countries in the South Pacific, but they were all autonomous. He was willing to bet that consignments to Australia didn't end up in America.
He happily began to unpack the hats. Ravi's brow puckered. Where the hell was Aloha? And what was this? Tonga? Samoa? Ravi looked up at the Fijian sun and sighed.




Hope you enjoyed this story and I look forward to your comments. 


If you wish to read more Friday Fictioneers stories, you can find them listed HERE


If you'd like to join in the challenge, you'll find all the information posted by Rochelle Wisoff-Fields 


- her blog is listed on 'My Blog List' on the right hand side of this page.


On a final note - I always attempt to visit the blogs of everyone who comments on mine. If I haven't commented on yours it's either because I haven't been redirected to your blog when I've clicked on your name or because you have a wordpress account that requires me to sign into wordpress first. 
Please check and amend your settings. Thanks.









53 comments:

  1. Reminds me of Ronald Reagan saying "you know, they're all different countries down there"

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    1. Ha ha - not familiar with that quote - sounds like something your current president would say!

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  2. Dear Susan,

    I hate it when an order is messed up. i felt his frustration. Nicely done.

    Shalom and Aloha,

    Rochelle

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    1. Stuff messing up was par for the course when I lived in Fiji. If you didn't learn to be philosophical about it, you risked going nuts. It's the sort of thing that features in my memoir... if I ever get it finished! :)

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  3. Ha, I'm sure he'll still find some tourists who will buy them :-)

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  4. Rather like my online shopping at the moment. From South Pacific to North England, lol. But nicely done.

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    1. Ah, online shopping is quite a challenge right now, isn't it? :)

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  5. This made me grin, Susan.
    In Europe we have, I think, a general blindness towards the south Pacific, tending to view even Australia and New Zealand as being close together, when they are actually about 2,000 kms apart.
    So Polynesia has no chance!

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    1. It's understandable. I only really learnt about the whereabouts of the South Pacific island countries when I moved to Fiji.

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  6. Oh, who will know the difference, right? Such a frustration, to be sure!

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    1. Some of those tourists might experience a bit of confusion! :)

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  7. Made me groan and laugh in recognition.

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    1. He he - thanks, Doug. Good to know that I amused you. :)

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  8. Just sell them to American tourists. We only know two places, America and not America.

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  9. Nice insiders view, Susan.

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    1. Well you know what they say: write what you know. :)

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  10. I bet this happened on a routine basis and this was funny to read but not funny to the folks who must go through this all the time

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    1. I was recently thumbing through my diary from our first few months in Fiji and believe me, receiving the wrong things happened all the time.

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  11. I took a good long look at a map before I wrote my story. I glad I did! High school geography has a way of disappearing after so many years :)

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    1. One of my first jobs when I left school was in shipbroking and it really sharpened my geographic knowledge. :)

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  12. an error becomes a mistake when you refuse to correct it. perhaps he can send them back for a refund or exchange. :)

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    1. He could, but refunds on freight costs alone might make him decide to make the best of a bad job. :)

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  13. Such a hard way to run a business! Poor man. It's a good lesson for those of us who are fortunate enough to take reliable goods and services for granted. Great story, Susan

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    1. I thought I knew how to handle mañana from living in Spain for many years, but Fiji took mañana to a whole new level :)

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  14. Hee, now he has everybody else's hats! I wonder who got his hats? :-)

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    1. Well, you can just see it, can't you? Some poor chaps in Tonga amd Samoa wondering why they've got hats with Fiji written on them. :)

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  15. Ha! I love this story. Although I feel a wee sad for Ravi.

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    1. I know, poor chap. Thanks for commenting, Alicia.

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  16. Haha! What a careless despatch department! I bet Ravi could hardly believe his eyes!

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    1. Unfortunately it's something he's all too used to. :)

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  17. I feel for him. I've been waiting for a part for my refrigerator since before coronavirus!

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    1. Oh no! So these things happen in the developed world too. Hope you get the part soon.

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  18. People will buy them, if only to brag that they visited every darn one!

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    1. Ha ha - maybe! Thanks for commenting, Liz.

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  19. Having had my own b usiness, I felt for Ravi. A frustrating issue I hope gets settled with little
    problems.
    Isadora 😎

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    1. BTW ... since I sign in with google, there is no web-site.
      I'll add my site here:
      https://insidethemindofisadora.com/2020/05/15/friday-fictioneers-the-hat-factory/

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    2. Thanks for the link, Isadora - it's very frustrating when I try to visit someone who has commented here and then either can't find them - or their settings don't allow me to comment.

      Doug Jacquier, Doodle T, Na'ama Yehuda and Unknown - take note!

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  20. Oy. Well, maybe he can market himself as an international, cosmopolitan stall ... ;)

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    1. Yes, good idea! :)

      p.s. I wish I could reciprocate and comment on your stories, but your settings prevent me from doing so. (Hope you return to read this)

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  21. Couldn't help but laugh (sorry, Ravi!). Would love to hear more stories from your time living in Fiji!

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    1. Thanks, Magarisa. I really must crack on with my book about Fiji, but I do find it hard to write without a deadline! :)

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  22. Poor guy. Maybe he can figure a way to sell these.

    Fun read.

    https://natashamusing.com/2020/05/friday-fictioneers-natasha-musing-business-as-usual-fiction/

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    1. Thanks, Natasha. I'm sure he'll find a way. :)

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  23. I liked this, it was sassy - Ravi's exasperation and suspicion shone through

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    1. Thanks, Polly - appreciate the feedback :)

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Many thanks for commenting. I appreciate your feedback.