Hunting for treasure

Ashwin Goyal

Nov 16, 2023 — 1 min read

My day at work starts with a bang. There’s a big shake-up in office politics. I chuckle, imagining her reaction, knowing she’s as clued into this saga as I am. She’s great at guessing why people do things, like a detective.

Lunchtime brings a text from my best friend, another chapter in his tumultuous love life. I read it, already drafting the story in my mind for our evening conversation. Her insights on these matters are always sharp, often hilariously so.

In the evening, I stumble across a video on social media. It’s one of those videos that’s so ridiculously stupid it’s hilarious. I chuckle quietly, tempted to share it with her right away. But I decide to wait, wanting to see her reaction in person.

I gather moments like a bird collecting morsels, each one a small treasure to bring back to her. As I walk through the door, there she is, my wife, my partner in everything. And as we laugh and talk, I find myself eager for tomorrow, ready to get back out there and hunt for more treasure.

Expecting

I stand outside the bathroom, nervously tapping my feet. She's been in there for what feels like an eternity. I try to distract myself by examining the pattern on the tiles, tracing the lines with my eyes until they blur. Finally, the door creaks open. She steps out,

Feeling envy

His shiny new car, my latest tech toy; his promotion, my job switch. Every move demands a countermove. I’m not sure about where I’m going, and I suspect he doesn’t have a clue either. So we both look at each other, engaged in this silent dance, each