The first story I told the hairdresser
today was about something that happened over ten years ago
that led to another story that happened over forty years past
so what was
the connection
you may ask
one was a type of intervention
based on concern
fuelled by experience
while the other was how odd
the lady was when she thought
we had misbehaved
but hadn’t
done anything except cook
a meal for friends
that had been reported on by neighbours watching the coming and going of a baked beans roaster and how in a year from that another event took place that really was another decision based on lack of experience
all of this told
while wrapped up in a plastic salon covering and trying to overhear what the client beside me was telling his hairdresser as he listened to my stories and laughed about the dog having such a big fat neck that her collar had to be
loose
enough
so she could be led around but also able to shake
it
off
An Embarrassment of Freedom 