Gemotions

The worn, leather-bound first edition of "Moby Dick" was the centerpiece of the conversation. My brother, a scholar with a limited income, was forced to consider selling it. I'd been subtly nudging him for months, planting seeds of doubt about its true value.

“It needs… restoration, doesn’t it?” I asked, examining the spine with a critical eye. “And the binding… quite fragile.”

He sighed, defeated. I could see the wheels turning in his head. The weight of his financial situation was pressing down. I felt a surge of energy, a sense of accomplishment. The book was as good as mine.