A Man Checks His Watch

(A man checks his watch.

He raises an eyebrow.

He's...frustrated.

He runs his tongue over his front teeth.

He blows up his cheeks with air and exhales like a balloon deflating.

He taps his foot three times at a steady pace.

He chews on the nail of his thumb on his left hand.

He looks up, more to stretch than to look.

He chews on the nail of his pointer finger on his left hand.

He quietly breathes out.

A man checks his watch.

He laughs quietly.

He shakes his head as the laugh is ending.

He cracks the knuckles on both hands.

He runs his tongue over his front teeth--quickly this time.

He scratches an itch on his back with his right hand behind his left shoulder.

He scratches the bridge of his nose.

He squints at something in front of him that isn't really there.

He's thinking.

A man checks his watch.

He flips over his right wrist and looks at something there.

Maybe a mark that only he'd be able to see unless somebody looked closely.

He scratches where the mark is.

Still no more visible than it was before and this, for some reason, bothers him.

It's as if somebody has said something mildly irritating and ignorant.

Like a bad joke.

He shakes his head to shake it off--whatever it is.

A man checks his watch.

He bobs his head a few times at a steady pace.

He hears a song in his head.

He mouths the words to the song.

It's 'Sympathy for the Devil.'

He doesn't speak the words, but he's close to speaking them.

Very close.

A man checks his watch.

He itches his cheek on the right side of his face.

He stretches his jaw like a lion about to eat--but not as exaggerated.

He clicks his tongue five times quickly.

He shakes his head.

He lets out a low, almost indistinguishable outtake of air, but keeps his mouth closed.

A man checks his watch.

He blows up his cheeks, lets out air, like before.  Starts to panic.

He tapes his foot three times--quickly now.

He lets energy vibrate through his body and shake him up a little.

He looks off to the side with just his eyes, but sees nothing.

A man checks his watch.

He feels himself starting to hyperventilate but he fights it.

He swallows--hard.

He begins silently saying something to himself.  His lips are moving.

A man checks his watch.

He shakes his head while he talks to himself.

He looks up.

He closes his eyes.

He shakes his head.

'Sympathy for the Devil.'

He opens his mouth to scream.

Nothing comes out.

He brings his head back down.

He is defeated.

He rubs his chin with the palm of his hand.

He shakes his head.

He checks his watch.

He shakes his head.

He walks away.

Slowly.)