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elleng

(130,156 posts)
Sun Jun 5, 2022, 04:37 PM Jun 2022

METROPOLITAN DIARY

Reflections
Dear Diary:

After college, I lived in the East Village, scraping by. I found a neighborhood barbershop that advertised $10 haircuts and went inside.

A barber, Toufik, ushered me to his chair with a friendly grin. With our reflections in the mirror, we swapped stories about our nephews — mine in Baltimore, his in Algiers. He was a musician, and I was, too.

I became a regular. I learned about the ins and outs of renting a barber’s chair as I followed Toufik from storefront to storefront over the next few years.

One day, I showed up for a haircut and the barbershop was empty: doors locked, barber’s chairs gone. I had no way of finding out whether Toufik had set up shop elsewhere. Eventually, I moved out of the neighborhood.

Years later, I landed at Kennedy Airport late one night, returning home from a work trip. Tossing myself into the back of a taxi, I gave the driver my address.

“I know you!” a friendly voice said from the front seat.

In the rearview mirror, I saw Toufik’s familiar grin. Once again, our reflections were swapping stories as if no time had passed at all.

— Adam Gwon

https://www.nytimes.com/2022/06/05/nyregion/metropolitan-diary.html

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METROPOLITAN DIARY (Original Post) elleng Jun 2022 OP
When I was 13 (true story). Turbineguy Jun 2022 #1
Ape out of the sleeve! Sanity Claws Jun 2022 #2
Close Turbineguy Jun 2022 #3
Thank you, all of you! fierywoman Jun 2022 #4

Turbineguy

(37,212 posts)
1. When I was 13 (true story).
Sun Jun 5, 2022, 05:08 PM
Jun 2022

I was living in the Netherlands with my Aunt and Uncle and their family. I had just started secondary education (Lyceum). One Saturday morning my Uncle handed me 5 guilders, told me I should get a haircut and directed me to a new Barber shop the he and his Son (older than me) had started going to.

I found the shop and walked in. The place was packed with people waiting for a haircut. All the waiting chairs were taken and there were about twice that number standing.

There were two barbers' chairs and one Barber, who gave me a friendly nod of acknowledgement. I would spend my whole precious day off, waiting to get a haircut!

Suddenly, a curtain at the back of the place opened and the most beautiful Woman I had ever seen walked into the shop and to the other empty barber chair. "Next, please!". All the eyes of those waiting were trained on me.

I was next!

In Dutch, they have a saying for what happed in my brain. Roughly translated, "Now comes the ape out of the sleeve!"

I sat down and endured the many envious stares of those present while being ministered to by this beautiful Woman, who was the Barber's Wife. I was home in time for lunch.

Turbineguy

(37,212 posts)
3. Close
Sun Jun 5, 2022, 05:35 PM
Jun 2022

It's the realization of understanding.

The people who appeared to be waiting for a haircut, did not come there to get a haircut.

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