Did you know that today is Thanksgiving Day in Canada? As a Canadian, I am thankful for all I’ve been given and thinking of all my friends and family in Canada. As someone living in the US, I didn’t get the day off. I hope you had a great day, even if you had to go to work/school.

Scroll down to read Waiting for Mr. Nguyen, based on the photo prompt from last week.

Muse on Monday is a weekly writing challenge. Anyone can join and the idea is to write a story based on the prompt below. If you have an idea for a future prompt, send me an email at greenwalledtreehouse@gmail.com.

You can submit your story using this link for a chance to have it published next Monday when the new prompt comes out. I’ll be traveling next Monday, so you’ll need to get me your story by Thursday of this week if you want to have a chance to get it published next week.

(click the headings of each prompt for a description of it.)

Story Prompt: October 11, 2021

SETTING: a pizza restaurant

CHARACTERS: any

CONFLICT: convincing a teacher to give a passing grade

GENRE: any

TONE: serious

OTHER ELEMENTS: any

Waiting for Mr. Nguyen

I waited at the table looking out over the road. This was where he had said to meet.

At least I think so.

“Do you want to order?” the waitress asked in English. I did not even attempt to use what little Vietnamese I had.

“I’m waiting for someone,” I said. She nodded and withdrew. Fifteen minutes she returned with a cold drink for me, although I hadn’t ordered anything yet.

“What time were you going to meet?” she asked.

“Twenty minutes ago,” I said. I was starting to panic. My phone did not work here and there was no WiFi nearby. I had no faith that I had found the right restaurant.

“He’s Vietnamese,” I said. This did not narrow it down, considering we were in Vietnam. He nodded.

“What is his name? Maybe I can ask around.”

“He didn’t give me his first name,” I said. “He just said his name was Mr. Nguyen.”

“Ah,” she said. “That . . . is a problem.”

_{Note: about 40% of all Vietnamese have the last name Nguyen}

Good luck and happy writing! Come back next Monday for another story prompt.