Written by John Davis Frain

A to Z Challenge Day 2: Barber

BARBER

A2Z-BADGE [2016]My barber blames his old job as a mafia hitman for why he names all his instruments. “This one here, I call her Karma,” he says as he caresses his gleaming scissors.

“Summer cut,” I say, mostly ignoring him, “so take a little off the top and everything off my neck.” He leans my head down, sets straight to work with a snip, click, cut, whirr.

He reminds me of the money I never paid him from last year’s basketball championship when I had five thousand reasons to love Wisconsin over Duke, and then plunges the scissors into my neck. Karma sucks.

 

 

Hemingway brought us the six-word story. (For sale. Baby shoes. Never worn.) He’s much better than me, so I’m bringing the six-sentence story. Come back Monday for “C” since the challenge gives us Sundays off.

 

24 thoughts on “A to Z Challenge Day 2: Barber”

  1. Holy crap. I never saw that one coming. That was excellent. I can see why you do so well with Miss Janet’s contests.

    Julie

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Her contests are bringing out too much talent. I have to concentrate on my WIP instead of flash fiction.

      I know, I know, so why am I doing this A to Z challenge, right? I have no answer for that one.

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  2. Another good story. Of course, whenever someone goes murderous barber, I go to Sweenie Todd and then I am stuck with Sondheim singing in my head for the rest f the evening. Fantastic that.

    Liked by 1 person

    1. So funny, Ellie. In my original the barber’s name was Sweeney but I couldn’t make the payoff line work. I tried so many ways to end it right, but I couldn’t get it down to six sentences and maintain and decent plausibility. I can’t believe I made such a stupid rule for myself.

      This is turning out to be a lot more fun than I realized, I’m glad you Reiders got me inspired to participate in this challenge…. he said on Day 2 — we’ll see if I’m singing the same time by the end of next week when I’m searching for a new story for “E.”

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    1. I am guilty of repeating myself — even the Queen told me, so it must be so. Hence, I would not do well in a 100-word challenge with no repeated words. I have a hard enough time with 100 words, I’d die if I had to go back and search for any repeats!

      Liked by 1 person

    1. I’m so glad I decided to join, too, Dena. Didn’t realize how much fun it could be. Also, I think I’m gonna learn rather quickly how challenging it will be. But hey, they call it a Challenge, so I guess I should’ve expected that.

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  5. Love this story. You got me with that final sentence. I wasn’t expecting it. But it fit so perfectly. Awesome writing.
    Best Wishes
    Jo-Ann

    Liked by 1 person

    1. That’s funny. I heard a story on how Michael Caine decides if he’ll do a part.

      They give him a script. He reads the first page. Flips to the end and reads the last page. If the character they want him to play in on the first page and the last page, he’ll agree to do it.

      Love that story! Even if it’s only apocryphal, still a good story.

      Liked by 1 person

    1. I’d never survive 100 words with no repeats. Repeating, I’d never survive —

      Oh, sorry. There I go again. This is hard enough already, Colin, I’m not sure we need to come up with ways to make it harder!

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