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Last
to know
By
David Gaffney
____________________
He showed me the back of my head in a mirror and I nodded.
‘£6.50 then,’ he said, and pressed the foot pedal. The hydraulics sighed as
I sank to the floor.
‘I normally pay five.’
He indicated the price list. ‘It’s been £6.50 for while’
‘Yes, but. . .’
What had happened? I was regular. Only new customers paid full. It was never
spoken of, but that was the system. The barber could tell that someone else had
cut it; the blending between the longer and shorter sections was poorly
executed.
‘Look me in the eye,’ he said, ‘and tell me you haven’t been to
anyone else.’
‘I haven’t been to another barbers in years.’
The barber sucked in his lower lip. ‘So we’re talking home clippers.’
‘Yes,’ I said, and felt my cheeks redden in shame.
‘Ok. Call it £5.50. I know you won’t do it again.’
____________________
David
Gaffney wrote this story on top of a ham sandwich using nothing but condiments.
True story.
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