Gemotions

He was halfway through a lecture on the French Revolution when it happened. A tiny, almost imperceptible ping from his phone. He glanced down, a flash of red on the screen. *Ms. Chen has requested to follow you.* He felt a jolt, a sudden imbalance in his world. He cleared his throat and continued speaking, but the words felt hollow, disconnected.

The classroom, usually a comfortable space, now seemed to press in on him. He felt as if his tie was suddenly too tight. He fumbled with the projector remote, fumbling over a simple slide transition. His carefully curated online presence suddenly felt like a battlefield. His carefully crafted persona felt fragile and thin.