A synthetic voice announced “distance 6 kilometres, pace 5minutes and 46 seconds, time 36 minutes and 32 seconds”. He craned his upper body over his knees, catching his breath. The moment of exhausting relief halted when he remembered her soccer practice was tonight.

His heart dropped into his stomach and he considered releasing a terrifying cry, or throwing his iPhone down the middle of the cement road, maybe even slapping his own face. But before he can act stupid, he glances up and makes eye contact.

“Hey Frank”, they both nod at each other and as soon as his neighbour passes by he sinks back into reality. His eyes swell, his lips start fluttering - fphfphpfphpfphpfpthhhh

Tom first highschool didn’t workout because he thought everyone was an asshole, and at his second highschool he thought everyone was an asshole to. Now that she was gone he started to realize maybe the issue wasn’t the assholes or a goddess he had placed on to of a pedestal, but maybe it was him. He looked down at his feet, new balance 308’s - costco dad shoes.

Tom burst out into tears, pleading for higher powers to solve everything. Minutes behind, Franks wife was struggling to keep up. Tom could feel eyes on him activating spidey senses in his back but it was too late, he started uncontrollably gagging tears up and down the back of his nasal passage just moments before she shouted “hey make a wish boy”

Max awkwardness ensued as she caught a glimpse of the tears being swept away and Tom tried to hide the tear ducks behind a raised shoulder. Tom humoured her with a soft wave - and he started walking back.

He took all his athletic wear off and fell backwards into the comforter. Tom starred at the ceiling rehearsing the rollercoasters of emotions. The run had been so relieving, the weather was nice, his heart felt like an whimpering herbivore suckling leaves while living in complete fear of literally of everything. embarrassment from Cougar of a wife started to settle in. Not only did she make a pale skin joke but seeing him in that condition. Ffs.

Tom rolled over on to his side an heard a crunch. Was that a cracking cookie? He reached his lanky arm around to feel what was under him. Left overs, he remembered now, left over Chinese fortune cookie has crackle. Tom and no other sane human would let the fortune go unread. He opened the fortune and to his surprise there was only a phone number.

Don’t all fortune cookies have little quotes or some shite. Tom, decided to give the number a call, pretty much because he was brain numb from crying so hard and not really in a mental state to make good judgement. His only priority was distracting his current thoughts.

“Herro, you call for fortune? Yes. Let me tell you. All you problems soon be solved” she said.

Tom raised an eyebrow, he managed to mutter a soft ok.

She continued…