Gemotions

From the moment the school bell rang, David felt a slow, grinding ache in his bones. He had a mountain of grading ahead of him. His daughter, Maya, came running in, her face flushed with excitement. “Dad! Guess what? Mr. Rodriguez is my history teacher!” David froze.

The man had been David's teacher in high school. The memories surged forward: the rigorous exams, the dry lectures, the constant feeling of inadequacy. David’s shoulders slumped. He felt a profound sense of weariness, a sense of being stretched thin.

“Oh,” he finally said, his voice flat. He looked at Maya, her face expectant, and managed a weak smile. He knew, with a sinking feeling, that he would be reliving those classroom experiences all over again, only this time, from the sidelines.