Amir sits askew in his chair, surveying the crowd with darting eyes. He dreads social situations. The topically familiar conference did not put him at ease. He shifts his weight to the other cheek.
The speaker draws a polite chuckle out of the intent crowd. Amir stoically processes his plan to navigate the alien landscape. Lunch will bring uncomfortable interactions with the unknown.
Applause marks the end of the presentation. Amir springs into action, arriving shortly at a bathroom stall. A catalyst of questionable legality will get him through.
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Hmm...autobiographical?
I like the last line.
Fun story, interesting protagonist. Can we see a little beyond his mind, see that trickle of sweat down the side of his face, the too-tight necktie, etc. to drive his discomfort home?
DOES "not put him at ease."
I would argue someone cannot shift to the other of something when they were not on the first to begin with. :)
I don't know how to "stoically process" something. That's the weird thing about adverbs - they're suppose to be helpful, but in the end, they confuse or at least show how weak the verb choice is. To me, I believe placing the reader in the conference crowd scene may be a more tangible detail to focus on.
So is this how you felt when we went to hear Guy Kawasaki? ;)