Gemotions

He adjusted his sunglasses, his gaze sweeping the cluttered tables. He felt a familiar tightness in his chest, a sense of impending unease. Yard sales always made him feel that way, the mixture of forgotten histories and the potential for… anything. He found what he was looking for: Pooh Bear, his childhood companion, slumped against a stack of old magazines.

He feigned interest in a collection of vintage records, his senses on high alert. He noticed the couple haggling over a painting, the teenager engrossed in his phone, the woman with the shopping cart, slowly circling the tables. He needed to be sure. He took a deep, steadying breath.

“How much for the bear?” he asked, his voice even. The woman selling the bear seemed distracted. She named a price. He paid, taking Pooh Bear with him. As he walked away, he kept an eye on everyone and everything. He kept his stride brisk, his head on a swivel.