Gemotions

Michael discovered the letter tucked away in his father’s old leather briefcase. “To Whom It May Concern,” it began, detailing his father’s decision to leave the accounting firm. He sat there, legs stretched out, reading the words aloud. A slow burn of resentment began in his gut.

He read the reasons. "Personal differences." His father, a man of fierce integrity, had always championed the underdog. It was so obvious to Michael, as he read, that his father was being forced out.

The office had been his father's life, his passion. Michael thought of his own precarious job, always feeling like he was walking on eggshells with his own boss. This revelation was an echo of a feeling he knew well. He slammed the briefcase shut, the metal latch clanging harshly. The man he idolized had been treated with disrespect.

He felt a sudden compulsion to go for a run, the need to physically expel the bubbling frustration. He grabbed his keys and slammed the front door behind him, leaving the letter on the floor.