Gemotions

He’d found out from a mutual friend. “They’re shutting down next month.” The pronouncement hit him like a physical blow. "The Spicy Spoon," his go-to place for comfort food and strong cocktails, closing?

He abruptly pushed his chair back from the table. He stood, his legs feeling unsteady. He needed to get away, to be alone. He felt a sudden, irrational urge to smash something.

He stumbled outside, blinking against the bright sunlight, the city noise, which he usually found comforting, now grating on his nerves. He started walking, not knowing where he was going. He just wanted to escape the suffocating feeling of the news, the knowledge that a part of his life was about to disappear. He felt like he had been punched, winded and gasping for breath.