The last time everything fit in three duffles, Mack was moving in. We’d only been dating a few weeks. A little fast for my taste—I didn’t even know his middle name—but he’d just been evicted, and he needed a place to stay.
“That’s code for ‘my last girlfriend dumped me,’ ” my friend Roxy warned. “Those types of guys either live with their moms or their girlfriends.” She went on to lament that Plenty of Fish was the wrong website to find love. The men there were always begging for money.
But he was so incredibly attractive, and I didn’t mind spending $100 a week on groceries in the beginning, or that he was still between jobs after living with me for six months. I’d convinced myself that in this economy, it was tough to find employment that didn’t pay a measly $7 an hour for workers to break their backs over ungrateful customers.
When you’re terrified of being alone, you tend to ignore the warning signs of a deadbeat.
That was until I found Roxy’s thong in his laundry, and I tossed all he ever brought into our relationship in three duffle bags over the balcony and into the street.
word count: 191
—Nortina
Flash Fiction for the Purposeful Practitioner is a weekly challenge for writers to create a story in under 200 words using the provided photo prompt and introductory sentence as their ‘muse.’ Click the froggy icon to read other stories inspired by the photo and add your own.
Lovely Curses 
Good work.
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Thanks!
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“When you’re terrified of being alone, you tend to ignore the warning signs of a deadbeat.” Very unfortunately true. Great story. I hope she manages to get her own back on both Mack and Roxy!
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I’ve had lots of friends who fit this woman’s description sadly! You describe it well!
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Thanks! My hope is that this story will help women realize their worth and toss these deadbeats!
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Excellent and entertaining. Happens only too often to ‘nice’ people doesn’t it!
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Always. Haha!
Thanks for reading!
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How many of us have been through this? Well written!
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Too many to count, I think.
Thanks for reading!
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My pleasure!
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Great story. She learned her lesson.
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Thanks! Hopefully she doesn’t make the same mistake for another attractive face.
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Great story! I’m glad the protagonist finally saw through Mack.
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Took her a while, but she finally saw the truth. Thanks for reading!
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What a shame that doesn’t include her friend Roxy! I hope she has something special planned for her ‘friend’.
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I hope she does too. Roxy’s “triflin’ ass” ain’t off the hook! Haha! 😀
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LOL
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She should have tossed them both over the balcony and into the street as well! *sigh*
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Ha! I agree. Roxy’s not immune just because she’s “best friend.”
Thanks for reading!
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Especially because she is “the bestfriend.” That’s a cardinal sin among group of friends!
Welcome, Nortina. 😉
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I sure hope she learned her lesson and is more in tune to the warning signs before having someone move in with her. Great story of a live and learn lesson. 🙂
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Some people gotta learn the hard way. 😉
Thanks for reading!
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Uh-huh.
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Even Roxy isn’t that good of a friend! I would definitely say he is a deadbeat!
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Yep. I think more than just his duffle bags should’ve been thrown over that balcony. 😉
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Yes, no kidding! If he would have been standing there – throw him off the balcony too!
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