Barbershop tales.....1 (The familiar stranger)

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(Edited)

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He was so insignificant that no one cared about knowing his real name, but for his love for the devils in red attire, he was nicknamed United.

United was not in anyway different from those boys you'd see hanging around a barbershop or local video arcade early in the morning till late at night, such that, if you're someone like me, who had what many would refer to as a proper upbringing due to some factors—from waking up to morning prayers to engaging in compulsory house chores to being made to brush your teeth before settling in for breakfast to having a definite task for the day in the case of holidays to being mandated to observe siesta to being forced to read, you wouldn't help but lay aside your own worries, if only for a moment, to ponder if people like United had parents or guidance. Upon having so many questions without answers, you'd shrug it off to continue worrying about your own "proper" life.

I met United some years back while I was an apprentice at a barbershop. He'd come around every day to hang around with the boys, who'd banter about sports, entertainment, politics, etc. All I could gather from his numerous natterings was that he was a Manchester United fan. You can now picture him having a war of words with his Blues compatriot.

One of those days, amidst our usual natterings, a black 2013 Lexus GS Hybrid drove in, the glass rolled-down, and one of the men in the vehicle stretched out his arm from the rolled-down glass and began to flip his five fingers—a gesture we all understood to mean that one of us was being summoned.

We all tapped our chests with our palms to know whose attention was needed. The passengers in the automobile kept swerving their heads but continued pointing their fingers and gesturing for one of us to meet up with them. Eventually, it became obvious that they were beckoning United. Slowly, United swaggered to the roadside, where the car was parked.

We watched them wear distressing looks while moving their mouths. We couldn't make out what they were saying. After a few minutes, United returned, looking disoriented and puzzled.

We were eager to know what ensued between them, so we wasted no time asking, while listening carefully to be sure that not even a jot of sound was missed. The usual animated ambience became a graveyard.

"They asked me to come home with them, saying that Dad wanted to see me before he passed out." United spoke with a trembling voice, before pausing to be sure that sounds escaped his inflated but slightly cracked lips. His guileless eyes travelled from one person to another, inquiringly.

United saw through our demeanour. We were hungry, and needed to hear more. He tried to continue talking, but all he could add was, "I couldn't follow them." "I've never met them before."

Just then, we realized that United was only a familiar stranger to us. We knew him, but knew nothing about him.

PS: This is based on a true life story, but I've never been an in apprentice in a barbershop.

Edit: The image used here is a selfie of me in a barbershop. It was taken with my cellphone.

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hi Mfoniso 😍 This is so lovely to catch this post in Dreemport. I love reading you❣️ This was an interesting tale... that poor guy, United, I mean how weird is that for strangers to come by and talk nonsense to him... I mean I assume they were trying to scam him, unless I misunderstood. I do hope his father was actually ok... but stranger still if strangers were sent to give him the sad news.

Just then, we realized that United was only a familiar stranger to us. We knew him, but knew nothing about him.

And isn't that true! How many people do we know on a casual basis that we see frequently but never really dip below the first layer or two of who they are as people? I find it quite sad at times, but by the same token, I don't think I could be that vulnerable with more than a few people myself and it takes time to invest in relationships with others to the degree that a deeper level of trust is established.

oh and haha... I did do a double take when you mentioned that you had once been an apprentice in a barber shop... I thought ..ok now I know my friend is a suave gentleman who loves to frequent the barber shop but I would never have guessed that he had worked in one! And then I saw your PS closing statement hehe !LUV !LOLZ

ok and finally...I know that this is you in the selfie but others reading this post in Dreemport may not and we are now asking dreemers please to make a statement on their post if any of the images used are their own, even if it seems obvious to you. I will screen this through this evening but please can you add a catch-all phrase in future to the effect that all images not source attributed are owned by yourself or that you have permission to use them. If you can add this to the current post before tomorrow's public curators read and rank that may be best for you ;-) but otherwise if you can do it going forward that would be wonderful😍

and final final...the next Dreemport challenge is in Market Friday this Friday for 3 weeks... come and join in the fun...here is the link!
https://peakd.com/hive-196308/@dreemport/to-market-to-market-ding-ding-ding

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I just had to stop writing since it was looking too long already.

A sequel is underway. It's okay to misunderstand or have your own thoughts about an incomplete story.

Yeah! It's so true; building a relationship with someone is a task, and we can't possibly do it with everyone. There are many people we assume that we know only to discover that we know very little about them when our knowledge is tested.

As for the image, I have made a quick edit. Thanks for looking out for your friend.

Your kind words always have a way of boosting my morale.
I'm always like, "If a phenomenal writer like @samsmith1971 says that she enjoys reading you, then boy! You ain't doing badly. "

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This is was a rollercoaster ride of emotions. I like it how you wrote

United spoke with a trembling voice, before pausing to be sure that sounds escaped his inflated but slightly cracked lips.

Will try to write better too. :)

!PIZZA

Via dreemport

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Thanks for such amazing feedback. I will try to be better as well.😄

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Hello bro, Your account name is @mmykel but your image is mfoniso's. I never knew you are same person. How are you doing? I hope your father is fine and not on his dying bed? We really need to be careful with people. Get to know them more or leave them as strangers,not even acquaintances. Haha. Hoping to see you participate in dreemport challenge as @samsmith1971 has invited you to.

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My birth name is Mfoniso Michael. Mmykel is coined from there. Thanks for stopping by.

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Lmao...you had to state that you've never been an apprentice in a barber's shop. You made it sound like it's an awful thing to be a barber's shop apprentice 😀😀. Anyways, it's a common thing for people to hang around each other and do lots of things together without knowing each other but I wonder what United is hiding 🤫🤔🤔. I guess I'll have to wait for the part two.

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(Edited)

Hi @zyzymena it feels good having you here.

You made it sound like it's an awful thing to be a barber's shop apprentice 😀😀

Is that how it sounded? You'll have to trust, it wasn't my intent. I love style and fashion, and I wouldn't mind learning how to make men look good.

Anyways, it's a common thing for people to hang around each other and do lots of things together without knowing each other

Yep. It's quite common.

Talking of part two; it's been posted already.

You can read it here

Thanks for your awesome feedback.

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Alright. Thanks for dropping a link. I would check it out.

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Okay, so I'm here, in Part 1, after reading Part 2 first. I couldn't help myself. I had to find out more!

You're a talented writer and story teller for sure. Compelling a reader to take the necessary action to continue reading the story you are creating is an artform.

My one suggestion is to put the link to Part 1 at the top of your Part 2 post, just for the traditionalists. I was happy to take the divergent route, but as this is something that is going to continue with more and more posts (please 🙏), it would make it easier on your readers to know where to start.

Looking forward to reading much more from you!

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I'm blushing right now. Thanks for kind words.

I'm surely taking the advice.

@juliamulcahy Thanks for coming all the way.

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Is this how you coerced me to come here and read the part one of this beautiful piece....uh it was so interesting that my eyes were glued to the screen... I do not want to miss a letter talk more of a word.
You write so well dear! It's so compelling!

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😄😄 I'm glad that I was able to bring you down here.

I'm blushing right now. Thanks for kind words. Thanks for stopping by.

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My pleasure!
I came through dreemport!

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