Member-only story
My Barber quit speaking. Has yours ever quit?
The Story Starter — September 2023
One blustery day in late December, our town’s barber stopped talking. He was never known as a quiet person. In fact, he won ten consecutive blue ribbons at the local public speaking competition.
But on this day, residents were concerned.
Mrs. Murphy coordinated the competition and told anyone who inquired, “Just give him some time. He’s in a state of shock over Amelia.”
End of the Prompt. . .
I started as a shoeshine boy in this shop when I was eight. He was the only one in the town to let me earn money. Bob was in his early 20s then and just starting out in our town. He was the very first to arrive. The railroad had just finished crossing the country, and Bob saw an opportunity when he was still in his teens.
Bob treated me like a son. He and Amelia married when he just turned twenty-one, and Amelia was eighteen. He was so proud of her. They never had children, but she was a teacher at the local high school. All her kids were like children. She was loved by everyone.
Amelia’s family had died during the plague. Bob and Amelia had each other and the kids they loved. Now she’s gone. I’m confident that he feels alone. Like Amelia, he also lost what little…
