Wednesday, August 17, 2016

Signed, Sealed, Delivered: A What If? Post

Scenario: You place an order for some odds and ends. A few days later, a huge box arrives. Aware that sometimes the packaging is deceiving, you're not too concerned as you pull the box inside. After all, it's from the same company and the mailing label has your name and address on it. You open the box . . . .

It's definitely not what you ordered.

What if . . . the item in the box is something you've desperately wanted for a long time? Something incredibly expensive and extravagant? Something you've never told anyone about, ever. Who sent it? And why? And what do you do about it?

What if . . . the box is full of baby-related items, all monogrammed with the name Ella? You don't have children, and you don't know any children named Ella. You contact the company. Yours is the only corresponding order placed. It's bought and paid for by you. But the date on the invoice? Two years in the future. 

What if . . . the item in the box is a little on the naughty side? Maybe something you've been curious about but too embarrassed to check into. Do you call the company and complain or do you keep it?

*****

Come on, let's get those creative muscles sweating in this summer heat! What's in the box? What do you do? And hey, notice I didn't take us down the overly creepy or gross path? And I so could have . . . . 

24 comments:

  1. If it's that last one, I don't say a word to anyone.
    And the second one would send me into a deep panic!

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    1. That second What If? freaked me out. Made me think of time travel or alternate realities, etc.

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  2. The second one would freak me out too. Those are such fun what ifs! I love pondering them.

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    1. I enjoy coming up with them, and seeing if the thread takes me somewhere I want to go. I also love hearing what you all come up with.

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  3. It would definitely be an alternate universe if I was the recipient of baby clothes. :)

    Thanks for the less creepy what ifs.

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    1. I figured last week's post was creepy enough, at least for a little while. :)

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  4. I'm too much of a goody two-shoes to keep any of the items. Though, scenario two will send my screaming. Thank you so much for your support in my latest posts. It means a lot, Madeline.

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  5. Murees - no one seems to like that second one. And there I was, trying not to write anything that would freak people out....

    And you're very welcome. :)

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  6. Those are great prompts, even #2 which could be very scary.

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  7. That second one sounds like a quite intriguing possibility for a book plot :)

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    1. It definitely has some sort of time travel, alternate reality, parallel universe feel to it.

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  8. Your scenarios are quite intriguing :-) This happened to me recently, but not in any of the interesting ways you described. Just a simple mix up with my order and someone else's. I didn't want what they sent me, but what if I had? What would I have done? :-)

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    1. Yep, something similar - and not nearly as interesting - happened to me, too. Where do you think I got the idea for this post? :)

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  9. The second one is my favorite, you have a great little nugget for a story there! And as for number three I'd definitely never tell LOL.

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    1. Number three totally cracks me up. It really depends on what your level of "naughty" is - one person's normal is another's shock. :)

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  10. What a great idea for a writing prompt. Who doesn't like getting surprise packages?

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    1. Ideas really are everywhere. They sometimes even arrive on your doorstep. Literally. :)

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  11. #2 definitely intrigues me the most. I'd love to write a time-travel/alternate universe story. But they are subject to so much scrutiny (I spent so many hours discussing Back to the Future with friends) that I'd have to make sure it was perfect!

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    1. I usually have trouble following those kinds of story lines. I'm always flipping back pages to double-check something, or I pause the movie and ask "Wait, was that Before? Is it Now?" :)

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  12. All three are very creative and intriguing, but I find #2 the most thought provoking. What's most interesting is that the items in box #2 are personalized with a specific name.

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    1. I don't think #2 would've been as interesting if it had been baby clothes/items alone. It's the personalization that gives it a more intriguing edge - why a girl's name? why that name in particular? is it a biological child or an adopted one? a child from another country?

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  13. I think I'd be super embarrassed by #3 back in the day. Now, I'd be (to my husband), "My love, exactly what kinky stuff did you have in mind?" Or "Hey, did you get someone to watch the kids???"

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    1. Oh, that would be funny, if each of you thought the other had ordered it, then it turned out neither of you did. :)

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