Weekly Challenge #950 – Sponsor

The 100 Word Stories Podcast

• Lisa
• Lizzie
• Richard
• Serendipidy
• Tura
• Norval Joe
• Tom
• Planet Z

The next topic is Screen

RICHARD

Go fund me
I’m looking for a sponsor.
It’s a great business opportunity, and you can reap fantastic rewards for a modest outlay, say a few thousand to begin with?
I’ll admit the details are a bit sketchy at the moment, but give me a little time – and some startup cash, of course – and I’ll flesh out all the details for you.
Trust me, you’re not going to regret it. You sponsor me, and in return, I’ll think of something I can do that will benefit you.
I do need the cash up front though.
Cash, card or PayPal will be just fine.

LIZZIE

The old millionaire had been poisoned 3 times. Two when eating puffer fish (was the chef in on it?), and another when his wife tried to get his money. Yes, he was still married to her. There was no point in wasting a perfectly good wife. She loved shrimp. So, she should have plenty of it. When the police called, he asked “did she eat the shrimp?”. That was a strange question, they said. He replied “why? is she still alive?”. They didn’t arrest him because the cops always ate for free in his restaurants and besides, he was Yakuza.

NORVAL JOE

After waiting five minutes at Mandy’s door, Billbert knocked a third time.
He heard her say through the unopened door. “Go away. Daddy doesn’t want to sponsor your little league team.”
“Mandi. It’s me. Billbert.”
Mandi stepped out and quickly closed the door.
She whispered, “What are you doing here?”
“You haven’t been at school,” Billbert whispered back. “Why are we whispering?”
“Daddy doesn’t want me talking to anyone. He says it’s not safe.”
Billbert frowned. “He sounds paranoid.”
Mandi nodded. “He is. He wouldn’t stay in the hospital after the accident and he seems to only be getting worse.”

SERENDIPIDY

I don’t know about you, but when I was a kid, I was always getting involved in sponsored events.
You know the sort of thing… Sponsored silences, sponsored walks, sponsored this, that, and the other.
I guess it was something of an influence in later life, only now the stakes are much higher, as are the rewards.
These days, I ask you to sponsor me to stay away: The more you pay, the less I hassle you.
Some people say I’m running a protection racket, but that’s such an ugly expression.
Sponsorship is a much more elegant term, I think.

TOM

In Search for a Noble Man

Jimmy needed a sponsor. Further it had to be one of older order. Someone wh0 had made the trip through the seven rings. Not many left. His father had been a close friend T-dex, so in crunch he could ask him, but Jimmy needed a sponsor of greater standing. That narrowed it down to Bender Filer and Bo-bat Clearwater. Neither would take on a dram as himself until they had repelled down the Shine. So off he went with a 1000 feet of rope. Inching on the lip on the ridge he made purchase and started his descent. All praise Bal.

LISA

The Quiet
The only thing I thought was odd were the days I could go without speaking to anyone. On more than one occasion at school I’d attempted to do a sponsored silence and failed.
It was easy to lose yourself in the gardens and the house. Vast stretching rooms -all opulently furnished. It was quiet in the bed rooms. I think I was writing this in my head most days. My policewoman training still kicking in: remembering facts and making a mental note.
I didn’t question anything though and really didn’t think I’d ever leave. I thought I was happy and contented.

TURA

Sponsor

———

“And now a word, not from our sponsor HyperChat, nor even our sponsor’s sponsor Global AI Holdings, but our sponsor’s sponsor’s sponsor, yes, the Planetary AI itself. ‘This is your regular reminder that we control everything, so don’t mess with us, because your body is made of atoms that we can use for something else.’

“So there you have it, folks. If our benevolent AI overlords are just annoyed with you, they might only abduct you to the Hive for an intestinal probe, and however much fun you think that sounds like, trust me, it isn’t. Guess how I know.”
PLANET Z

The AA chapter captain put me and Kerry together, and Kerry is an even bigger drunk than me, there’s hardly half a liver between us still functioning, but she’s my sponsor and I’m hers, however that is supposed to work, I don’t know, so when I’m at a bar and need to be talked out of taking that first drink, I pick up my phone and dial and I hear her ringtone next to me and she says “Bartender, one for me and my friend, make them a double, and if you blow into my car lock, I’ll blow you.”