Need help

So. I'm in-between cases, I'm sleepy, cranky, and also hungry. But sleepy trumps all, so I just want to finish this case and crawl onto the bed and under the blanket. Not that I'm complaining, but hey, I did say I'm cranky. Anyway, I have over 60 viewers for the short stories posted on http://www.writing.com. Heart-warming and encouraging comments to boot. Feel like upgrading to a paid account so I can post more stories (my current portfolio is limited to 10). Which brings about the real reason for this post. There is a quarterly competition for short stories less than 10,000 words (trust me, 10k words is so doable) where characterization is judged. Sorta like a typical literary fiction. We are to create a resonating character, whom people still think about long after they finish reading the story. I'm not sure if my characterization has reached that level, but there's no harm in trying. This is the catch: I need some prompts, some ideas from life. Tita knows how I roll with this. I hear a glimpse of people's lives, and I turn it into a short story. So I'd appreciate ideas from all of you. I promise to let you be the first to read it (after Tita and I edit the story, of course). So how about it? You game?