Esther Chilton

Here’s a new story challenge for you: Can you tell a story in 77 words using the following words in it somewhere:

• COYOTE
• LEMONADE
• THERAPIST
• BUBBLEWRAP
• MISSPELL
• VACUUM
• LYCRA
• BACKSTROKE

The previous challenge was to write a story in 44 words using the following four words in it somewhere:

• SHOCK
• DRIBBLE
• BEAR
• AMBIDEXTROUS

Here are your delightful stories:

Nicola Daly:

The bear poured himself some wine with his right hand.
‘I’m a bit out of practise,’ he said, dribbling wine onto the carpet.

But the biggest shock was when he poured a second glass with his left hand. Whoever heard of an ambidextrous bear?

Annette Rochelle-Aben:

Paws he can

Not many would ever have imagined that Buster Bear would have been born ambidextrous, so it was never considered a talent. However, when he applied for a basketball scholarship to college, the coaches were in awed shock that he could dribble with either paw!

my word(s):

A bear smiled as I answered the doorbell.

“I’m Ambi. Pleased to meet you.”

“Ambi?” 

“I’m ambidextrous silly. I can dribble too.”

It demonstrated its skill down the path and into the next street. 

“Strange encounter,” I said and went back to my dinner. 

A Jeanne in the Kitchen:

The crowd was shocked to see the basketball playing bear dribble the ball across the court. He had style and panache. He dribbled the ball ambidextrously, with both paws.

poetisinta:

The Versatile Bear

The bear smiled, dribbling stew,
Began dancing with a shocked kangaroo.

His ambidextrous paws made a hat from cheese,
While squirrels dozed in the breeze.

The moon lost its wig in puddles of jam,
The bear shouted, 'Brilliant, I'll eat it with ham!'

Murray Clarke:

It was something of a great shock to all of the family to discover that Uncle Hubert indulged a grand passion for bear hunting. We all knew he was ambidextrous, and could shoot a rifle using either hand - and dribble a football with great dexterity. 

Fandango:

The people watched an ambidextrous bear dribble two basketballs through puddles, expecting applause. Instead, the crowd stood in silent shock until the animal bowed, winked, dropped the ball, and wandered calmly back into the forest, humming triumphantly beneath evening stars as he headed home.

Graeme Sandford:

The Bears vs. the Deer was thought to be a certain victory for the Bears. 

It was a total shock, and against all odds, when the Deer rode out 2026 Dribble Valley (Lancashire) Novel-writing champions. 

Their secret weapon? The fact that they were bambidextrous. 

Crystal:

I was very much in shock when I got a call from my High School bully’s lawyer that I drawled and even dribbled some while watching a bear on his hind legs. I was so in shock she left me everything that from then on I could be ambidextrous.

The Afterlove Voice:

The shock came when the bear calmly watched her dribble a basketball.

Being ambidextrous helped, she switched hands without thinking.

The curious visitor simply nodded, turned away, and disappeared into the forest, leaving everyone speechless yet smiling beneath golden evening skies together afterward forever.

Rall:

He began to dribble as he was eating his meal. This came as a shock. She had no idea he was so diminished after his stroke. She remembered him as that cute cuddly bear type guy ambidextrous performing magic with his beautiful hands. So Sad!

Pensitivity101:

She could not bear to see him this way, a man once alert and full of life now ignoring the dribble down his chin. It was a shock, one she had been prepared for and would have to be ambidextrous in caring for him

Teleportingweena:

The boys basketballs were missing. Then out of the woods came a large brown bear lumbering towards them, dribbling two balls. He marched up to the foul line, took position and shot two perfect baskets. The boys were shocked to see an ambidextrous bear.

Lily’s Corner:

Entertaining

The shock on folks’ faces when my spoon hit the fan was priceless. Being ambidextrous, I never dropped my spoons. 

But, in the end, it was entertaining to see them giggling with coffee dribbling down their chins. I happily grinned and beared through it.

M.A.D. Works:

The shock came when the ambidextrous bear wandered into town, pawing at paint cans until colors dribbled everywhere. Children gasped as it calmly signed its name—left paw, then right—before lumbering off, leaving a rainbow trail and a story no one would forget.

Lou by the Sea:

Tactics

It was a shock to see the bear saunter onto the pitch, wanting a game.  A dribble to his left, then a kick to the right, then doughnut remains thrown out from my bra, with both hands. GOAL ! Being ambidextrous won us the game.

Dawgy Daddy Responds:

Bear with me. Is it shocking, feeling the need to be ambidextrous filling out paperwork? I wasn’t looking forward to all the dribble and excuses normally heard. I was ready to expostulate with my new doctor about any and all pills prescribed to me.

Blind Wilderness:

The bear coming toward me. Sweat began to dribble down my face. Shock hit me. I didn’t know which way to run . I was ambidextrous and this had affected my brain too. I didn’t know my right from my left. Suddenly the bear leapt.

John W. Howell:

Imagine my shock with the obviously ambidextrous bear did a dribble to the key and shot the winning 3 point basket.

Richmond Road:

Confronted by my greatest fears
I dribble, holding back the tears
People, they will stop and stare
Causing anguish I can’t bear
‘Cause, Goodness Gracious what a shock!
I’ve got two feet, but just one sock
Is it left? Or is it right?
Hard to tell in fading light
Where all things seem the same to us
And socks are ambidextrous

Rohini:

Bearly Under Control

“I’m ambidextrous,” bragged the magician, juggling oranges behind his back. The crowd applauded until a bear wandered onstage and stole the spotlight.

In shock, he dropped everything. A lone orange began to dribble downhill, pursued by the bear, while dignity escaped entirely.

Pictures Imperfect Blog:

The Bear — not by Chekhov

“What’s the use of being an ambidextrous bear if you need both paws to wipe off the drool coming from your mouth?” Lee was in utter shock to see the ambiguous bear use up one handtowel after the other to mop up the dribble. 

Kim Smyth:

Chuck was walking through the woods when he came to a clearing. Standing on two legs was a black bear. The shock made him dribble a little pee. Being ambidextrous, the bear swiped with his giant left paw. Luckily, he missed and Chuck ran!

Ann Edall-Robson:

He dozed on the flat rock near the sandy shore of the river. The shock of seeing a bear executing ambidextrous moves while trying to dribble a basketball surely was a dream. Yikes! Those ARE bear tacks in the sand coming toward the rock.

iMartist:

The Morning he was Ready

Carl had been camping in isolation. One morning he heard a growl, It was a bear. Carl found himself paralyzed in shock with saliva dribbling out of his mouth. Luckily for Carl he was ambidextrous and armed himself with not one, but two shotguns.

Therapy Bits:

A bear discovered an ambidextrous child whose basketball could dribble itself. Their friendship survived every shock, because laughter echoed through moonlit pines, reminding both courage grows when kindness outshines fear and hope quietly leads everyone home together before dawn forever, smiling at sunrise daily.

The Elephant’s Trunk:

It’s all Greek to Me

Can you just imagine my shock when I came upon a grizzly bear while out walking? He was ambidextrous and spoke fluent Greek but he had an uncontrollable, and frankly, unattractive dribble. The amount of drool was unbelievable. How uncouth! Honestly, it was unbearable.

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Image credit:Pinterest