BALANCING THE SCALES

One pizza won’t hurt, thought Agnes as sheย crept down the stairs.

She was still waiting to see any results after joining the slimming club. She was racked with guilt when the pizza arrived. The weigh-in was on Friday, she still had time to lose a couple of pounds.

A couple of pieces won’t hurt.

***

Archie woke the next morning.

He found Agnes on the sofa. The pizza box lay open, half of it was left.

Archie helped himself to a piece of pizza. Since Agnes had started slimming clubย he had put on a stone. He didn’t like to see food go to waste.


dale-rogerson-pizza
Dale Rogerson

Written as part of theย Friday Fictioneers challenge hosted by Rochelle Wisoff-Fields (more detailsย HERE).ย The idea is to write a short story of 100 words based on the photo prompt (above).

To read stories of 100 words based on this weekโ€™s prompt, visitย HERE.

This month I am taking part in the A to Z Challenge 2017 โ€“ a post each day based on the letters of the alphabet and a theme. You can visit myย A TO Z CHALLENGE 2017ย page here to read the story.

As this challenge will take up a lot of my blogging time I may not get round to commenting on everyoneโ€™s posts, but I hope to find time to read all your stories as usual, and still be able to participate in Friday Fictioneersย each week.

80 responses to “BALANCING THE SCALES”

  1. Until my wife decided to take charge of my food supply, I was the “garbage can” for all the leftover food she didn’t want to eat.

    Liked by 1 person

    1. I have been going through this myself, only it’s my children’s food I don’t let go to waste!

      Liked by 1 person

      1. Ha ha Iain, this is a great little story. The first Iโ€™ve read from this prompt which includes humour! ๐Ÿ™‚

        Liked by 1 person

      2. Thanks Rebecca, glad you liked it ๐Ÿ™‚

        Like

  2. Ah stop, that’s gas. Maisie is very partial to Hawaiian pizza. ‘I love the pineapple’ she says. ‘You love anything you can shove into your gob’ says I….she didn’t hear me :p

    Liked by 2 people

  3. ha ha love it! oh and btw I love the name Agnes – she features in my second novel ๐Ÿ™‚

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Thank you – she’s a regular along with Archie in some of my stories – whenever I need a humourous couple they come along ๐Ÿ™‚

      Like

  4. Archie’s right. We shouldn’t let food go to waste!

    Like

    1. Especially pizza, right? Thanks for reading ๐Ÿ™‚

      Liked by 2 people

      1. Oh yes. It was a pleasure to read! ๐Ÿ™‚

        Liked by 1 person

  5. Ha ha – I love the ending!

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Based on real life ๐Ÿ™‚

      Liked by 1 person

      1. Even funnier ๐Ÿ˜

        Liked by 1 person

  6. Dead by pizza overdose, not bad, not bad at all. ๐Ÿ™‚

    Liked by 1 person

    1. I hadn’t actually thought dead, just sleeping, but now I read it back, it could go either way. Not a bad way to go ๐Ÿ™‚

      Liked by 1 person

  7. Dear Iain,

    The balancing act is never easy. I could so relate to your story. Well done.

    Shalom,

    Rochelle

    Like

    1. Yep, I’m an Archie – can never let food go to waste ๐Ÿ™‚

      Liked by 1 person

    1. Especially pizza, I mean come on, can’t let it go to waste.

      Liked by 1 person

  8. My husband’s always been an Archie, but with only one child left at home and a wife who only makes just enough, his powers as a human garbage disposal are weakening. ๐Ÿ˜€

    Liked by 1 person

    1. I feel a bit sorry for him ๐Ÿ˜‰

      Like

  9. michael1148humphris Avatar
    michael1148humphris

    This is an interesting take on the prompt. However as someone who knew the effects of wartime rationing, I dislike seeing food wasted.

    Liked by 1 person

  10. I had a friend who went to a spa — $70 per day—- to fast, but then came jome a month later ordered an x-large pizza and ate the whole thing. Her newly purged system couldn”t handle the OD of salt. Plus she wiped out her weight loss goal. Poor lady.

    Liked by 1 person

    1. But was she happy? ๐Ÿ™‚

      Like

      1. No. She came from a dysfunctional home and you could say she had a dysfunctional mind. But all that fasting weakened her bones and when she fell and broke her femur the doctor said, “Your bone has shattered like corn flakes.”

        Liked by 1 person

  11. First read ~ I read SWIMMING club. Then SLIMMING club. That alone made me laugh. Then the ending. What fun.

    Liked by 2 people

    1. Swimming or slimming, either one works, or not as the case may be! ๐Ÿ™‚

      Liked by 1 person

      1. Indeed! But one must admit that call of pizza is strong. Loved your tale.

        Liked by 1 person

  12. Lol…. A nice turn round

    Liked by 1 person

  13. Such a good person to stop her eating more than she should.

    Liked by 1 person

    1. He’s doing it as an act of charity ๐Ÿ™‚

      Like

  14. Archie, a man after my own heart ๐Ÿ™‚

    Liked by 1 person

    1. What kind of man let’s a pizza go to waste? ๐Ÿ™‚

      Liked by 1 person

  15. what a delectable story is this. All over a pizza. Nice touch of humour. Superbly written, Iain.

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Thanks Neel, always appreciated

      Like

  16. When my children left food when they were little, I used the ‘can’t let it go to waste’ excuse and piled on the pounds – very entertaining take on the prompt.

    Liked by 1 person

    1. I’m going through that process at the moment myself!

      Like

  17. I hated that I was the garbage can for my kids. What a stupid thing to do! We don’t want it to go to waist…. like that little play there? Hee hee…

    Liked by 2 people

    1. I see what you did there ๐Ÿ™‚

      Liked by 1 person

      1. ๐Ÿ˜†

        Liked by 1 person

    1. Glad it gave you a smile ๐Ÿ™‚

      Like

  18. Life Lessons of a Dog Lover Avatar
    Life Lessons of a Dog Lover

    I understand her completely, one slice never hurts. That’s my mantra as I avoid those slimming clubs. Great take on the prompt, I enjoyed this one.

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Thank you, much appreciated ๐Ÿ™‚

      Liked by 1 person

  19. “Waist” not want not:) well done Iain.

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Ha ha, I see what you did there! ๐Ÿ™‚

      Liked by 1 person

    2. Ha ha, I see what you did there ๐Ÿ™‚

      Like

  20. Agnes and I have much in common–we both lack willpower. Just say “No” to pizza sounds good, but is certainly hard advice to follow.

    Like

  21. If I hadn’t just put supper in the oven I’d be ordering a pizza right now!

    Liked by 1 person

    1. It’s a dangerous prompt, I wonder how many Fictioneers have pizza this weekend?!

      Like

  22. i don’t blame him. with so many people not having much to eat in africa, wasting food is sacrilegious.

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Especially pizza ๐Ÿ™‚

      Liked by 1 person

  23. That is a serious problem. I put on a load of weight once we had children, finishing off what they left.

    Liked by 1 person

    1. That’s where I am just now, need to exercise, or stop eating leftovers.

      Like

  24. He’s right, can’t let pizza go to waste! I do the same with my kids’ leftover food. Very humerous story!

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Thank you Amir, I’m with Archie too ๐Ÿ™‚

      Liked by 1 person

  25. So funny and so true. It can be so difficult to let food go to waste when we’re eating together with the family. We know the consequences but we cram whatever is left in our mouths all the same! Great writing, Iain!

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Thank you Edith ๐Ÿ™‚

      Liked by 1 person

  26. LOL. I need to go to fattening club and my husband needs to go to slimming club, but he never leaves any scraps for me!

    Liked by 1 person

    1. As an aggregate though, the two of you combined are fine! ๐Ÿ™‚

      Liked by 1 person

  27. Sympathy weight gain; now there’s love! Seems we went in diverging directions with this, but both focused on diet. ๐Ÿ˜‰ Nice job Lain!

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Thanks Dawn ๐Ÿ™‚

      Like

  28. I can completely identify with this – very well penned ๐Ÿ™‚

    Liked by 1 person

  29. Two excellent stories and well-defined characters for the price of one! Well told Iain, you portrayed them both perfectly

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Thanks Dawn ๐Ÿ™‚

      Liked by 1 person

  30. Seems like a symbiotic relationship!

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Perfectly matched ๐Ÿ™‚

      Liked by 1 person

  31. Haha! Very good. I know several mums who’ve put on weight, finishing off the food their kids won’t eat. Waste not want not ๐Ÿ™‚

    Liked by 1 person

    1. I really need to get down to the gym…!

      Liked by 1 person

  32. Lol! I love how food plays its part in the dynamics of marriages and other relationships.

    Liked by 1 person

    1. One of the most important things ๐Ÿ™‚ Thanks for reading.

      Liked by 1 person

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