Gemotions

John, hunched in a booth at the diner, stared at the menu. Listed under "Chef's Special" was his grandmother's famous buttermilk pancakes, now called "Big Joe's Flapjacks." He remembered the precise pinch of salt, the order in which the ingredients were mixed. His stomach churned, not from hunger.

He recalled his old friend, Joe, working as a short-order cook years ago, begging for the recipe. John, always generous, had obliged. Now, the diner was packed, and the air buzzed with happy sounds, people enjoying the breakfast he'd created. He saw Joe, now a portly man in a chef's hat, laughing and slapping the backs of customers. John, feeling a sudden need for air, slowly rose and left a generous tip before slipping quietly out the door.