Gemotions

David stared at the book jacket, the smiling portrait of himself a stranger. He’d never authorized this. The title, "The Reluctant Hero," already rubbed him the wrong way. The accompanying blurb made it worse; a sugary-sweet summary of his life, filled with inaccuracies and a patronizing tone. He tossed the book onto his desk, the glossy cover reflecting the harsh fluorescent light of his office.

He leaned back in his chair, fingers drumming a furious rhythm on the wood. The author, a former colleague who he barely knew, had spun his life into a tale of manufactured triumph. He imagined her, a woman whose opinion meant nothing to him, profiting from his experiences. He felt a knot tighten in his stomach. He wasn’t a hero. He was just a guy, doing his best.