Gemotions

He watched from his porch, arms crossed, as they measured and hammered. The sun glinted off the polished wood of the new fence. It was taller than he’d expected, a cedar masterpiece. He'd envisioned a simpler barrier, but this… This was ostentatious.

A knot formed in his stomach. He'd been planning to finally get around to fixing his own, rotting fence, but the funds had always been lacking. Now, faced with such a perfect installation, his efforts felt futile.

He muttered to himself about the "overkill" and how impractical it would be. He stomped inside, grabbed a beer, and sank into his worn-out armchair, staring out the window, unable to look away. He felt a deep, twisting ache in his chest.