New beginnings

You can’t just yank away the routine from a creature of routine and expect his world not to shift on its axis.

For 40 years life had run like clockwork. Until one day they throw him a party, gift him a shiny new watch, pat him on his back, and tell him that he’s free to take the vacation that he never had. For days he had lain in bed trying to find a reason to get up. Then today his wife had literally dragged him up and pushed him out of the house. “Go somewhere. Do something.”

What?

So here he was, on a cable car, like a damn tourist.

God had the city changed! The people looked different, the places looked different, and the Warf had turned into a carnival. His city had evolved and he hadn’t even realised!

Opening the map he charted a new routine.

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In response to Flash Fiction for Aspiring Writers, 117th challenge, based on photo prompt by Yinglan.