It’s Thursday and time for your new story challenge.
Can you tell a story in 41 words using the following words in it somewhere:
- PETRIFIED
- HEPTATHLON
- UMBRELLA
- CRAYON
Last week’s challenge was to write a story in 52 words using the following five words in it somewhere:
- SEAL
- GROWL
- ALLERGIC
- HAPHAZARD
- POLKA
Here are your brilliant stories:
Wearing polka-dot bikinis is a symptom of being non-allergic to the Bio-haphazardous liquid that is locally called a Tequila Sunset.
Other symptoms are barking like a dog – or a seal, and growling like a seal – or a dog. And, people, that is the reason why I don’t drink Tequila Sunsets any more.
Nicola Daly:
The selkies pulled off their skins and danced the polka on the beach. Their steps were a little haphazard – I guess when you spend most of your time as a seal you don’t get to practise much. They’re allergic to daylight because they all growled when the sun rose and stopped dancing.
A polka dancing seal started to growl when the crowd began to divaricate in a haphazard manner causing confusion among the band. After finding out that a sea lion was allergic to the smell of the sardine cologne he was wearing he settled down and began dancing again having fun in earnest.
I decided I was allergic to men, but life is haphazard. We ran into each other, literally, he engrossed in his phone, I juggling grocery bags. Smack! I growled at him. Then I saw them and they sealed the deal. Any man who wears gaudy polka dot socks can’t be all bad.
Smells Fishy
Step by step, it was a bit haphazard, the attempt by Samuel and Sara Seal to master the Polka in time for Wally and Winifred Walrus’ wedding. What the instructor couldn’t quite figure out was the constant growl from Samuel. Was he angry, or merely allergic to her brand of toilet water?
The bartender looked at the seal and asked him if he was allergic to anything. Balancing on the stool in a haphazard way, rocking to and fro, the seal barked and growled, signaling the bartender to use only vodka for his drink. The seal sipped his potion, and then danced a polka!
Joe let out a growl, knowing his wife wanted to join the polka contest. It was if he was allergic to the whole idea, breaking out in hives every year. June thought he should seal off his negative thoughts and enjoy the dancing. Thinking haphazard ideas, Joe faked a painful ankle injury.
The seal growled at the audience in anger. His allergic reaction frightened the crowd. The owner had to educate himself on how to manage the seal’s reaction to allergies.
The seal also disliked polka dots and attacked the flag that was running haphazardly alongside his tank, which was covered with polka dots.
Pete:
Slamming the Royal Seal into the melted wax on another proclamation, His Nibs said in a guttural growl. “The only folk dance I am not allergic to is the polka. Others are too similar to my haphazard full bodied gesticulating hand jive which I use to hypnotize people into buying snake oil.
The harbor seal let out a guttural growl as tourists haphazardly tossed snacks into the surf. One man sneezed violently. Turns out he was allergic to shellfish dust wafting through the air. Nearby, a woman in a polka dot dress filmed the chaos, laughing until the spray of saltwater soaked her phone.
Squirreljan:
His furious growls were haphazard and interspersed with sneezes.
“Why did you wear that dress?” Sneeze, growl, sneeze. “You know I’m allergic to polka dots.”
“I thought I looked pretty?” I sashayed in for a kiss but collided with a growling ‘atishoo’.
And thus, the fragile seal of our betrothal was broken.
I wrote an old fashioned letter using paper and an envelope. I haphazardly sealed the flap, and licked the stamp and the next thing I knew I started to make growling noises while doing a lively polka dance around my living room. I must have been allergic to the glue. Yee haw!
It was a scientific conundrum and the professor let out a growl of frustration as he adjusted his haphazard tie.
The young grey seal was in otherwise good health, but no matter what they tried, it was obvious it was allergic to everything they were using to treat its polka dot hives.
Always a Bridesmaid
As Jenny took in her reflection, she made a noise that sounded like a cross between a growl and a barking seal. How could she! The haphazard array of polka dots made her look like a giant allergic reaction. This was absolutely the last time she’d ever agree to be a bridesmaid!
Rall:
she was so pleased
at gaining his seal of approval
she spontaneously broke out
into a little polka expressing her joy
hearing his growl
she had momentarily forgotten how allergic he was
to any display of unrehearsed human emotion
which he would have considered to be haphazard
undisciplined and self indulgent
big mistake
Murray Clarke:
The prestigious dance competition was underway. Paul and his partner Sue, had reached the finals with their dazzling Polka routine. Their instructor who, unfortunately, was allergic to sweat, had given them his approval with his customary growl. Notwithstanding the haphazard way they flung their arms about, they were finally crowned the winners.
Seal of Approval
After his 5th Margarita, Barney saw this babe and had to get to know her. Growling like a cat in heat, he haphazardly stumbled through the sand like he was dancing the polka. She acted like she was allergic to him. ‘Til a lifeguard walked by and said, “Bro, that’s a seal.”
It seemed they were taking dancing instructions only at haphazard. Their polka looked like a jumping competition of seals eager to get back into the water. The jury members growled with discomfort. Parents were allergic to low ratings of their children and jurors were allergic to angry parents. Consequently: Trophies for everybody!
Mr Haphazard was often asked the origin of his name. He joked it was because of an ancient ancestor who was allergic to the wax in his seal. It made him growl his name, which sounded like haphazard not Howard-Polka.
It was not true but he would not be gain said.
At the Illicit Waxworks Museum nervously looking for him, it has been thirty-two years since they parted. Was it a haphazard meeting? She wore a polka dot dress fitted like seal skin. Still attractive, she heard growling approval from behind. She could fake an allergic reaction and go home if needed. “Jo?”
It’s all very well balancing a ball on one’s nose while clapping one’s flippers, I mean I could probably do it if I had flippers but you should have heard the seal, who was allergic to water, growl when I laughed at the haphazard way he tried to polka around the pool.
The band started to play. The fishy lady rose with a contented growl and summoned the Hawaiian monk seal to dance. He lollopped for three quick steps and ended with a halhazard hop. “I’m allergic to the traditional polka,” he blubbered. What?!! The story needs to make sense? I cannot commit to that.
What would ‘seal the deal’ for the king of the never-before-contacted tribe, that our explorers were Gods, wouldn’t be the growl played over the helicopter loudspeaker or the villagers’ haphazard allergic sneezes in reaction to lifted dust, but the polka song ringtone that went off on the cellphone in the pilot’s pocket.
Navy Lark
A Navy Seal growled orders about the mission – operation Rubber Duck, but before they could dive, he began to sneeze loudly. he was allergic to rubber, this haphazard occurrence got him well and truly rumbled. To distract the enemy, he broke into a fast Polka on deck… Mission impossible, I’d say.
“I’m sorry, I’ve got no time for a polka dance when I have a mystery to solve, mister.” I threw down my backpack rather haphazardly, and a puff of dust flew up into my nose, which started an allergic reaction. “Achoo000o! That sneeze itself was a haphazard.” I growled, sealing my nose.
“Waltz?”
“I’m allergic to dancing.”
She liked him and persisted.
He liked her and relented.
His feet landed in haphazard steps around her toes.
A polka started.
Did he just growl yes?
Boots with steel toes came to mind.
He whirled her around the floor.
He knew how to seal their future.
A haphazard carnival unfolded by the pier. A seal in a polka-dotted vest balanced a ball, ignoring the allergic clown sneezing nearby. Children gasped as a faint growl echoed from the shadows. Yet laughter returned quickly, for chaos and wonder often danced together beneath the striped tents of night.
The baby seal was in no way a familiar sight to its mother. She didn’t recognise the strangely marked polka dot pup swimming alongside her. She seemed allergic to it, growled and pushed it away in a haphazard fashion. In her mind, she must have thought it was from another planet.
Karolina was determined to become a navy seal, despite her father’s angry growl of “Crazy thinking!” whenever she brought up the subject. Her mother avoided the topic altogether; maybe she was allergic to strong women! She’d scurry to her haphazard kitchen, where she’d order dinner from Polka Pierogi. “One day!”, Karolina vowed.
***
Esther Chilton 
Leave a reply to showtunessal Cancel reply