Gemotions

The phone rang again. Michael let it go to voicemail. He’d been ignoring calls all day. His muscles ached, he felt a knot forming in his stomach. His friend, David, had always seemed so accomplished, so impressive, with his “executive” position at a large corporation. Michael had always envied David’s lifestyle.

The truth had arrived in a casual conversation at the local bar. A mutual acquaintance, after a few too many drinks, had let slip about David's true job: a salesman at a local hardware store. Michael's breath had hitched. The carefully constructed image, the stories of boardroom meetings, suddenly crumbled into dust.

He got up from the chair and opened the window, inhaling a deep breath. He should probably call him. He should probably do something other than to wallow in this discomfort. He did not.