Gemotions

He stood in the checkout line, the fluorescent lights of the supermarket making his head ache. The endless wait, the screaming children, the incessant chatter – it was all too much. His vision blurred, and a wave of nausea rolled over him. He felt trapped, cornered. He thought he was going to throw up.

The cashier scanned his groceries with a dullness that seemed to mirror his own inner state, and when he looked to his side he saw a man. The man was running a hand through his hair every few seconds.

After their checkups, they were both told the same thing, the doctor's words: "Xerocytosis." A quiet understanding passed between them.