'John' #amwriting

Task:
Imagine a character very like you but give them a dramatic external alteration. Write a brief character sketch, around 300–500 words. You might make the character the opposite sex, for example, or make them significantly older or younger. You choose. 

You could include:

appearance

feelings

current circumstances

occupation

voice

attitudes

hopes and fears.

My Response:

'John'

He sat, nervously tapping his stubby fingers on the table. His nails needed a trim. Watching the people and the traffic pass outside the little coffee shop, he absently picked up his phone, checked, for the 100th time, that the volume was turned up. He normally hated to be 'that person', but today he needed to hear it. Why hadn't she called yet? John sighed and picked up his New Scientist magazine again, flicking through the articles, unable to concentrate.

He looked up at the girl behind the counter, his frown lifting, revealing a clean-shaven, lightly tanned face, and a warm, open smile. She spotted him and came over. 'Something else to drink?' He cleared his throat. 'Um, a flat white please' his voice was still a little croaky. He coughed again, wondering if maybe a third coffee might be one too many today, adding to his already jittery state. He became aware that he was jiggling his leg, tapping his heel on the floor in the way he would find annoying in others. He stretched his legs out, hitched his jeans back up over his belly which seemed determined to melt over the top of his belt today and instantly regretted the cake which had added to both his waistline and his sugar and caffeine high this morning. 

His phone buzzed. He grabbed for it. It was his mobile phone company messaging to say he was near his data limit. 'Balls', he muttered to himself, and put the phone back on the table, his gaze wandering back to the people milling past the window. He was waiting to hear from his agent. He was negotiating over the films rights for his blockbuster début novel. He knew his agent would do a great job, that it would all be fine, that it was under control, but still. This waiting period made him nervous. The phone rang, he grabbed it, leapt to his feet and paced towards the door. 'Jo!' he waved his thanks to the girl at the counter, indicating the money he had left to pay his bill. He strode out into the sunshine, almost skipping down the road as his agent confirmed that negotiations had gone well. He was going to be able to pay off the mortgage and finally take his family to a sunnier part of the world. 

Words: 392