Short Story

The Most Unexpected Places

Nancy's Notes 🖊️🎶

Written for The Unicorn Challenge where
we are urged to get creative in 250 words or less.
The photo below is our inspiration; this is my story.

© Ayr/Gray

As the sun dipped below the horizon, it cast a warm glow through the grocery store windows. Vivian meandered through the aisles unsure of what to buy for her usual lonely dinner for one.

By the corner freezer section, an abandoned walking stick carved with intricate patterns caught her eye. She picked it up, feeling the cool wood against her palm, and noticed a typed ID tag attached to the handle by a thin chain: “If found, please return to Stan’s Coffee Shop. I’ve obviously lost it again.” Vivian felt an inexplicable connection to the stick and its owner, who clearly cherished it. On a whim, she decided to return it, hoping an act of kindness might lead to a friendship.

The next morning, Vivian arrived at the coffee shop, walking stick in hand. The aroma of freshly brewed hazelnut filled the air. She scanned the shop, her heart fluttering with anticipation like a school girl.

“Excuse me, is this yours?” she asked, approaching a handsome, silver-haired man sitting alone. His eyes widened in surprise. Standing, he took the walking stick. “I thought I lost it forever this time. Thank you. I’m Stan.” As they exchanged smiles, a spark ignited between them.

They began to talk, their shared laughter filling the shop, and they discovered a mutual passion for opera and Italian food. What started as a chance encounter over a forgotten walking stick blossomed into a beautiful romance, proving that sometimes love finds you in the most unexpected places.

NAR©2025
250 Words

This is “Love With The Proper Stranger” by Neil Diamond

The Unicorn Challenge-11/04/25

All text, graphics and videos are copyright for Nancy’s Notes 🖊️🎶, The Sicilian Storyteller, The Elephant’s Trunk, The Rhythm Section, et al., and are not to be used without permission. NAR©2017-present.

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