Let me explain. After work on Saturday, I went to have my hair cut. It wasn't particularly long, but it was starting to come over my ears, and looked untidy.My last hair cut was pretty good, so I returned to the handsome Italian man who had gave me it.
While I waited my turn, my mind wandered. I thought about work, and what lay ahead for my weekend. An Irish man sat in the chair having his hair cut, chatting away, while the Italian barber worked his magic. My mind ran through the events of the day, as I watched the street, with people and cars passing by. It was very dream-like, with sunlight giving the street an unusual glow.
Beside me, a lady and a boy sat quietly. A young man, perhaps the assistant or apprentice of the barber, came up to me and asked if I would like "short back and sides?", and I replied that I believed the young chap beside me was first.
I looked to the woman, who I assumed was the boy's mother, for confirmation. She looked at me with a confused expression.
The young man then repeated what he had said, accompanied by a mime of him holding an invisible cup, to help clarify his question of whether or not I wanted..."a short, black coffee?"
I apologised and declined, as I felt my cheeks burn. Oh dear.
The Irish man's cut was complete. It was my turn.
The barber is a lovely guy. He is quite a charming gentleman, actually. When he was finished, he told me that I looked handsome, like Russell Crowe, but with a better haircut. I laughed, but it made me feel good about myself.
I thanked him, and headed off to the bus stop, where, from a passing car, a young male shouted "UGLY" at me.
I was stunned. I believe this individual would probably have shouted this at anyone who happened to be at the bus stop. Indeed, he probably drove around for some time shouting at many unsuspecting people. There are many such fools, looking to cause trouble and utter anarchy in a world where there are enough of these already.
But I wanted to say to him, that actually, just for his information, that I was literally just told that I was handsome. Okay, the person who told me I was handsome was being paid by me, but that is neither here nor there.
This incident hasn't brought my world down around my ears, but it has bothered me more than I'd like to admit.
Has anything like this ever happened to you?
3 comments:
Doppleganger! And you are very handsome. Could be his double.
I had a mohawk in college. This area has come along way since the late 80s, but it was bigot city back then. I was walking to my apartment after class. A car zoomed past me, threw a beer can and shouted: "f*g*ot". I have many gay friends and that word just runs right up my bad side.
Yes, it has, but let's talk about you. :)
The truth is, the barber spent several minutes with you, not three seconds. In fact, right now, the guy who yelled ugly has no recollection of what you looked like. The barber, a paid professional, absolutely does.
And he is, after all, a professional. So he knows what he's talking about.
I'd believe him.
Cheers,
Casey
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