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. 
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53 comments:

  1. Neil MacDonald13 May 2020 at 11:41

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

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    Replies
    1. Susan A Eames13 May 2020 at 13:15

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

      Delete
  2. Rochelle Wisoff-Fields13 May 2020 at 12:29

    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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    Replies
    1. Susan A Eames13 May 2020 at 13:17

      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! :)

      Delete
  3. Iain Kelly13 May 2020 at 13:23

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

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  4. anthonynorth13 May 2020 at 13:35

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

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    Replies
    1. Susan A Eames13 May 2020 at 22:52

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

      Delete
  5. C. E. Ayr13 May 2020 at 13:41

    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!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Susan A Eames13 May 2020 at 22:54

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

      Delete
  6. Dale13 May 2020 at 15:04

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

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    Replies
    1. Susan A Eames13 May 2020 at 22:54

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

      Delete
  7. Doug Jacquier13 May 2020 at 17:33

    Made me groan and laugh in recognition.

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    Replies
    1. Susan A Eames13 May 2020 at 22:55

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

      Delete
  8. Nobbinmaug13 May 2020 at 19:02

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

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  9. Jade Li13 May 2020 at 19:32

    Nice insiders view, Susan.

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    Replies
    1. Susan A Eames13 May 2020 at 22:57

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

      Delete
  10. Birgit13 May 2020 at 19:49

    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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    Replies
    1. Susan A Eames13 May 2020 at 22:58

      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.

      Delete
  11. Linda13 May 2020 at 20:08

    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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    Replies
    1. Susan A Eames13 May 2020 at 23:00

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

      Delete
  12. plaridel14 May 2020 at 03:23

    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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    Replies
    1. Susan A Eames14 May 2020 at 10:09

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

      Delete
  13. Lynn Love14 May 2020 at 10:51

    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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    Replies
    1. Susan A Eames14 May 2020 at 11:25

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

      Delete
  14. Keith's Ramblings14 May 2020 at 11:53

    So, Amazon deliver there too!

    My short story

    ReplyDelete
  15. draliman14 May 2020 at 14:52

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

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    1. Susan A Eames14 May 2020 at 16:55

      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. :)

      Delete
  16. Alicia L Jamtaas14 May 2020 at 19:39

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

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    1. Susan A Eames14 May 2020 at 21:01

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

      Delete
  17. Penny Gadd14 May 2020 at 20:49

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

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    Replies
    1. Susan A Eames14 May 2020 at 21:02

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

      Delete
  18. Russell Mercer15 May 2020 at 03:46

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

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    Replies
    1. Susan A Eames15 May 2020 at 10:13

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

      Delete
  19. liz young15 May 2020 at 18:19

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

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    Replies
    1. Susan A Eames15 May 2020 at 19:33

      Ha ha - maybe! Thanks for commenting, Liz.

      Delete
  20. Doodle T16 May 2020 at 04:07

    What fun!

    ReplyDelete
  21. Curlytop16 May 2020 at 17:57

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

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Curlytop16 May 2020 at 17:59

      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/

      Delete
    2. Susan A Eames17 May 2020 at 12:40

      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!

      Delete
  22. Na'ama Yehuda17 May 2020 at 02:45

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

    ReplyDelete
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    1. Susan A Eames17 May 2020 at 12:41

      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)

      Delete
  23. Unknown17 May 2020 at 03:11

    Ahh....Island living.

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  24. Magarisa17 May 2020 at 21:48

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

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    Replies
    1. Susan A Eames18 May 2020 at 19:43

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

      Delete
  25. Natasha18 May 2020 at 08:19

    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/

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Susan A Eames18 May 2020 at 19:46

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

      Delete
  26. Polly Cullen18 May 2020 at 18:41

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

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    Replies
    1. Susan A Eames18 May 2020 at 19:53

      Thanks, Polly - appreciate the feedback :)

      Delete

Many thanks for commenting. I appreciate your feedback.

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