Gemotions

He found himself wandering aimlessly around the house, staring at family photographs. His father, a geologist, was a man of the earth, a man of facts and rock formations. He, on the other hand, worked in marketing. The disparity between them created a profound sense of distance, made all the more evident by the upcoming speech. He felt at sea.

The retirement party took place in a hotel ballroom, the tables adorned with centerpieces of artificial flowers. As he rose to speak, a jolt of anxiety coursed through him. The room seemed to blur at the edges, the faces of the guests coalescing into a hazy mass. He gripped the podium, feeling unsteady.

He began to speak, but the words felt hollow, as if he was merely reciting lines. He found it difficult to connect with anything in the room, lost in a swirling vortex of disorientation. The speech ended, and he retreated, feeling more alone than before.