150-Word Writing Challenge – Round 2

UPDATED — We have a winner!

After a week of voting and a close race, Mike of Exotic Visitors is the winner of Round 2 of the 150-Word Writing Challenge.

Congrats, Mike! And thanks to everyone who participated and voted. Stay tuned for Round 3 on May 25!

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Welcome to the newest feature here on A Dangerous Business!

We all know the phrase “a picture is worth a thousand words.” Using this as my inspiration, I decided to start a new monthly writing contest on my blog, where I will challenge writers to come up with a story based on a photo.

But the real challenge is, they only have 150 words in order to tell their story.

YOU, the readers, will choose the winner, by indicating in the comments which story you like best. Each month, the winner will receive a small prize. This month, the winner will get a $25 Amazon gift card.

Round 2

Here’s the photo I sent out this month to participants:

Read all the entries below, then scroll down to read the REAL story behind this photo.

Before you go, make sure to vote for your favorite story, by leaving a comment at the end of this post.

Round 1 Entries

Written by Chris of Backpacker Banter

Boris was having a pretty bad week. Not only had he awoken on the Trans-Siberian train to find himself in China, but it suddenly dawned on him that he may have just followed through with that sneaky hungover fart he just had…

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Written by Dylan of The Travelling Editor

Incredulous, he grimaced as the Polaroid crackled.

Bespectacled, face bronzed and wrinkled yet exuberant under guise of age-old composure, there’s something wise and persuasive about this Chinese man sat cross-legged before him with the camera; only moments ago, the man had enticed him into having his fortune foretold.

As instructed, he drew a straw from the bamboo cup — the inscription, as interpreted by his limited knowledge of Chinese, read ‘up’.

“Very lucky,” the elderly man proclaimed, hysteria-struck, accent thick as the trickles of hair draped over his chin. “I now take picture — wherever you go you take fortune.”

Snapshot. Glossy paper handed to him as the image emerged.

“200 Yuan.”

Before he could protest: a second snapshot. The man rose, pinning his captured expressions of incredulity onto a wall teeming with photographs.

“What’s that?” he asked as he indignantly surrendered the money.

“Many ‘very lucky’ people.” The man smirked. “Next!”

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Written by Renee of A View to a Thrill

Having been told that she had lost the Randy Quaid look-alike contest, the hirsute young lady began to sob uncontrollably.  Always a glass-half-full kinda gal, she realized that the upside was that she’d saved a mint by skipping her waxing sessions.  I hope no one tells her that she’s gonna have hell to pay to get rid of that stubble.

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Written by Kristen of Vagabond Kids

Everything in Mutianyu, a section of the Great Wall of China, was “cheaper-cheaper, I give you cheaper.” Bob, having survived the hike up the mountain, and the more dangerous decent down by luge, was accosted by sales women hawking their wares. “Genuine Chinese Army Hat” they cried. “Please sir, I give you cheaper okay?” they pleaded.

Bob, feeling fearless after surviving the gauntlet of Chinese tourist attractions, gave in and agreed to pay 25 dollars for a hat he was told was the genuine article; a real Chinese Communist Party souvenir. A one of a kind, “story-worthy” hat one that he would pass down to his son.

It was later in downtown Beijing while sporting his new chapeau, he saw that his hat was neither unique nor was it cheaper. Bob became just another tourist in Beijing that day, jaded, bitter and broke.

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Written by Mike of Exotic Visitors

Dim Sum for 2: $8.95

Number 26 (extra spicy): $12.50

Number 4 vegetarian: $7.00

Goofy Hat for Tourist: $37.00

8000 miles and no fortune cookies in China: …Fricken Priceless

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So what’s the REAL story?

Everyone certainly got the location right — this photo was taken in China back in 2007, when I toured the country for a week on performance tour with my college marching band. Starring in this shot is my friend Jason, who goes by the nickname “Biff.” The sour face he’s making just happens to be the expression he chose when I told him to “strike a pose.”

Would you like to participate in a future round of the 150-Word Writing Challenge?

Each month, I will pick 5 writers to participate in the challenge. I will also be posting the monthly photo on Facebook, and will accept 1 or 2 additional entries into the contest each month. If you’d like to be assigned to a month, or just get more details on the contest, shoot me an e-mail, or leave me a comment.

And, before you go, be sure to vote for your favorite entry from Round 1 by leaving a comment!

(Voting will be open for one week — through April 27.)

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