Gemotions

He found the note tucked under his windshield wiper: "Regarding the fence. Please call me." Inside, Arthur felt a tightening in his jaw. He reread the words several times, as if hoping they might transform into something else. The sun beat down on his car, turning the metal into a furnace. He shoved the note into his pocket.

Later, he saw the neighbor, Mrs. Gable, tending her rose bushes. She waved brightly. Arthur pretended not to notice, focusing intently on trimming his own overgrown hedges. He had been meaning to do it for weeks, but the timing felt suddenly… wrong.

That evening, he considered calling her, just to get it over with. He reached for the phone, his fingers hovering above the numbers. Then, he changed his mind and went back to re-watching old films on his television.