Gemotions

He glared at the flyer stuck to his mailbox, a glossy advertisement for "Your Dream Kitchen! Free Estimates!" Frank ripped it to shreds, the paper tearing under the force of his frustration. That was the third one this week. His neighbor, Mark, was finally doing his damned kitchen.

Frank’s jaw clenched. The thought of Mark, with his perfect life and endless disposable income, making a bigger, shinier space while Frank barely scraped by, sparked a fire in his gut.

He went to the hardware store for some screws, deliberately taking the long way, circling the construction site. He watched as workers loaded materials, muttering under his breath. The air felt heavy with his simmering annoyance.