Gemotions

The overhead announcement blared again, the tinny voice of the airline agent repeating the same litany of woes. Delayed. Again. Arthur slammed his fist onto the armrest, the plastic groaning in protest. He could feel a vein throbbing in his temple. He’d booked this flight *specifically* to be on time for his niece's graduation. Now, it looked like he would miss the whole damn thing. He imagined the tiny, carefully chosen gift he'd picked out, languishing in his carry-on, useless.

He snatched up his phone and began furiously composing a text to his sister. The words burned with an unwanted heat as he typed. “Unbelievable. Another delay. Seriously thinking about renting a car and driving. This is a joke.” He deleted it, rewriting the message again and again, each version slightly more controlled but still radiating the frustration that clawed at him.

He kicked at the leg of the seat in front of him, muttering under his breath. The man in front, startled, turned around with a questioning look. Arthur glared. The man quickly turned back around.