Curiouser and Curiouser

C-1 The Thimble

You've been asked to give out a prize at a most important event. Unfortunately, you are unable to find anything adequate except for ____ found in your pocket. Describe the prize; making it as appealing as possible to the winner. (<500 words)

I walked in at five to, and Eliza greeted me at the door. “Where is it?”

I felt my eyes go wide and I stepped back.

“Don't tell me you forgot. Rhyssa, you promised.”

I honestly didn't remember promising anything but to be there to support Eliza who had been frantic with last minute prep for the awards ceremony for the community chili cook-off that Eliza was running to fundraise for repairs to the swimming pool. All I remembered was “Come early. Bring your wallet.”

I had my wallet. What else was there?

“The grand prize?”

I was still confused. Surely I would have remembered? But Eliza was so incredibly insistent and certain . . . she was probably right.

“Don't worry about it,” I said. “Just let me hit the loo. I came straight from work and I have to pee so bad I can't think straight.”

She gave me a suspicious look but let me go.

In the toilet, I turned out the pockets of my coat. Surely there would be something. My gloves. A packet of tissues. A shiny silver scrunchy—that might work. A tube full of beads. My emergency reading material. My emergency medicinal candy—probably not (ten little hard candies did not a grand prize make). My scarf. Yes, that would work nicely.

I spent a minute or two plucking out pieces of lint and long hairs from it. Yes, that would do. It was certainly impressive enough, right?

I stuffed everything else back into my pockets except for the scrunchy and the scarf. Then I rolled the scarf into manageability and used the scrunchy like a ribbon to tie it up nicely. Then I put the package back in my pocket and flushed.

Eliza was waiting just outside. I reached into my pocket and took out the scarf/scrunchy package. “Ta da!” I said.

She didn't look impressed.

“This is a chili cook-off. I figured a scarf to ward of the chill.”

She looked a little less dubious.

“It's a handmade cable scarf. The yarn was a cotton and rayon blend (see, that's what gives it the sparkle) and it's fairly neutral colors because we have male and female competitors. I made it myself,” I sighed, but it wasn't like I didn't have other scarves at home. “If I sold it on etsy, I'd ask for $40 or so. Do you think it'll work?”

Eliza snatched it from me, totally convinced. “But admit it. You totally forgot.”

Just then, Judy came up behind her with an enormous gift basket in her hands. “Eliza, I brought the grand prize you asked for.”

word count: 440

Note: All items are taken from the current contents of my coat pockets. I have big pockets because I like to have emergency reading material on hand.