Gemotions

The clatter of the vacuum cleaner stopped abruptly. Mark emerged from his apartment, his face a mask of confusion. Mrs. Rodriguez, his downstairs neighbor, was standing in his doorway, her arms crossed and her expression thunderous. “The… the *noise*! It’s like a herd of elephants up there!” she exclaimed.

Mark felt his mouth hang open. The vacuum? The powerful, industrial-strength vacuum he’d just purchased? He had been sure he was cleaning quietly. The sheer force of the machine… the thought filled him with… well, it left him utterly speechless.

He felt the hot wash of embarrassment. He'd spent weeks researching the best model. He'd taken such care to clean his apartment. He felt a weird, giddy sensation. He wanted to explain the suction power. He wanted to describe the spotless floors.