Gemotions

The hum of the lawnmower felt intrusive. He watched as the neighbor, a woman named Carol, edged closer to the property line. She wore a bright floral sundress, and it irritated him.

She stopped the mower, turned it off. “Hello there,” she said, her voice bright. “Listen, I was thinking of starting a small vegetable garden, and I was wondering if….”

He turned away, unable to face the cheerful expectation in her eyes. He felt a knot in his stomach. He kicked at a loose stone, sending it bouncing across the grass, and just stared at the ground. “Fine,” he finally grumbled, before heading back inside.