Gemotions

Mr. Henderson stared out the window, the rain blurring the already dismal view of the school parking lot. He’d just finished grading a particularly uninspired batch of essays. The joy of teaching, he thought wryly, the joy of molding young minds.

A sleek, black SUV pulled up, and a tall, confident-looking man emerged, holding a bouquet of expensive lilies. It was Mark, one of his former students, the one who’d always been a smart-aleck. Now he was a successful lawyer. Henderson watched him walk into the building, a tight knot forming in his chest.

Mark’s voice, smooth and polished, filled the staff room. "Mr. Henderson? Just wanted to drop by and say thanks. You really… well, you inspired me." Henderson forced a smile, the muscles in his face protesting.

He took the card Mark offered, a card that undoubtedly had a long, flowery message. Inside, a crisp $500 bill was tucked. He thought about the mountain of student loan debt he still carried and felt his jaw tighten.