Gemotions

The office air conditioning blasted cold air onto his face, but he still felt a prickle of heat crawl up his neck. He was supposed to train the new guy, a fresh-faced graduate named Alex. He felt an intense need to be prepared. He'd even brought a notebook full of questions he’d prepared the night before.

He started with the basics, but he quickly veered into the more complex, nuanced aspects of his role. He didn’t want to be caught off guard. He wanted to be ready for anything.

He paced while he spoke, his footsteps echoing in the otherwise quiet office. He pointed out every hidden folder, every obscure shortcut, every potential pitfall. He lingered over the parts of the job he knew best, elaborating on the intricacies of each task.

He’d set up a series of mock scenarios for Alex. He critiqued every move, every decision, with a meticulous eye. Alex seemed unnerved by the constant evaluations. He seemed to take the criticism in stride, but John felt compelled to keep on the offensive.