Gemotions

He sat on the park bench, the cold seeping into his bones, even through his heavy coat. The world seemed to be moving at a frenetic pace, a speed he couldn't match. He found himself staring at the ducks in the pond, wishing he could swap places with them. A text from Carol, a friend from college, asking if he could give her a ride home from her "high-profile" new job. He should probably get on with it.

He drove to where she asked him to pick her up. She was sitting outside. Carol, ever the picture of sophistication, told him about the challenges of her new role at "Elite Communications." She spoke of the important clients she met, the pressures, the glamour.

As they drove, she received a call and answered, putting it on speakerphone. It was a person asking about the charity drive for the weekend. The phone call seemed to confirm what the logo on the side of her car suggested: "Local Food Bank".