Gemotions

From my vantage point behind the overflowing bar, I watched Ethan regale the group with tales of his adventurous life as a "marine biologist." My eyes watered. It was such a perfect, theatrical performance. The way he gestured with his hands, the dramatic pauses, the impassioned descriptions of coral reefs he’d "studied" – all so terribly, wonderfully over-the-top.

He was wearing a brand new, expensive shirt. I knew he got it with the money he had swindled from his friend. He didn't know I knew.

I almost snorted when he mentioned a recent expedition to the Galapagos Islands. The man hadn't left the state in five years. I leaned on the bar, trying to appear nonchalant, as he described his interactions with whales.

"Oh, really?" I asked. "Tell me more about your recent interactions with whales."