MidReal Story

Winter Bonds: A Barber's Tale

Anonymous

4d ago

Scenario:On a freezing (hinted to be minus 10 degrees) and dark January evening, in a small English village, a young schoolgirl (having had a bad day at school - and just wanting to go home) is dejected to be having to get her haircut at the barber shop her dad goes to; there, she meets 38 year old barber Astrid (in the midst of her own rough week and just wanting to go home herself) and against the odds and the winter darkness, the two end up bonding over their bad days.. (Story is from Astrid's perspective) 11 year old Sophie (with messy and long hair that looks like a messy-haired Lucy Loud), who barely tolerates haircuts at the hairdressers (her usual hairdresser is unavailable due to a broken arm) and is left dejected, miserable and pouty at being at the barber shop (a place she's been to, but never had her haircut) instead (especially when still in her secondary school uniform, having had a bad day involving being falsely punished with after school detention for not doing homework, hence her arrival near closing time - she has been proven innocent, the homework having been found on her teacher's desk, and given many apologies, but the injustice still hurts); at first, she is unwilling to answer the barber's questions until she is asked about her bad school day - her mood is sad and miserable, even when explaining the bad day (she doesn't yell or shout, she just speaks sadly with tears welling up) 33 year old Swedish barber Astrid, who is struggling with Seasonal Affective Disorder, is just under an hour from closing for the night and is mentally a little bummed at Sophie coming in as she always refuses women wanting haircuts (but as she owes Sophie's dad a big favour, she agrees) - the two women end up bonding unexpectedly, Astrid sharing her own bad day after finding out about Sophie's bad day (she calls her sötnos regularly, as opposed to just Sophie) - offering Sophie a tissue when she starts crying Sophie's dad Rob doesn't appear, but it's revealed he is a regular client of Astrid and he phoned the barber earlier in the day asking her to cut and tidy up Sophie's hair (because of the hairdresser having broken her arm - the haircut is for something Sophie knows about, but doesn't want to share, hinting a funeral) as repaying a favour (last week, he came to her rescue after an incident involving her motorbike and ice, hence her owing him)

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On a freezing (hinted to be minus 10 degrees) and dark January evening, in a small English village, a young schoolgirl (having had a bad day at school - and just wanting to go home) is dejected to be having to get her haircut at the barber shop her dad goes to; there, she meets 38 year old barber Astrid (in the midst of her own rough week and just wanting to go home herself) and against the odds and the winter darkness, the two end up bonding over their bad days.. (Story is from Astrid's perspective) 11 year old Sophie (with messy and long hair that looks like a messy-haired Lucy Loud), who barely tolerates haircuts at the hairdressers (her usual hairdresser is unavailable due to a broken arm) and is left dejected, miserable and pouty at being at the barber shop (a place she's been to, but never had her haircut) instead (especially when still in her secondary school uniform, having had a bad day involving being falsely punished with after school detention for not doing homework, hence her arrival near closing time - she has been proven innocent, the homework having been found on her teacher's desk, and given many apologies, but the injustice still hurts); at first, she is unwilling to answer the barber's questions until she is asked about her bad school day - her mood is sad and miserable, even when explaining the bad day (she doesn't yell or shout, she just speaks sadly with tears welling up) 33 year old Swedish barber Astrid, who is struggling with Seasonal Affective Disorder, is just under an hour from closing for the night and is mentally a little bummed at Sophie coming in as she always refuses women wanting haircuts (but as she owes Sophie's dad a big favour, she agrees) - the two women end up bonding unexpectedly, Astrid sharing her own bad day after finding out about Sophie's bad day (she calls her sötnos regularly, as opposed to just Sophie) - offering Sophie a tissue when she starts crying Sophie's dad Rob doesn't appear, but it's revealed he is a regular client of Astrid and he phoned the barber earlier in the day asking her to cut and tidy up Sophie's hair (because of the hairdresser having broken her arm - the haircut is for something Sophie knows about, but doesn't want to share, hinting a funeral) as repaying a favour (last week, he came to her rescue after an incident involving her motorbike and ice, hence her owing him)

Rob Robins

Sophie's father and Astrid's client, not directly involved in the story but mentioned as a regular client of Astrid's.

Sophie Robins

schoolgirl, bonds with Astrid, 11 years old, English, long messy hair like Lucy Loud's style, sad and introspective.

Astrid Jensen

barber, bonds with Sophie, 38 years old, Swedish, struggling with Seasonal Affective Disorder, short blonde hair, empathetic and resilient.

"Evening, young lady. Take a seat."

I smiled as a tall, eleven year old girl with long, messy hair sat in the chair.

She looked at me with a scowl on her face and I wondered if she was going to be difficult.

"What can I get for you?"

I asked.

"My dad phoned earlier," she muttered.

"He said you'd sort me out."

I nodded.

"Okay. Let me just finish this then I'll be with you."

I went back to cutting the hair of the man in the other chair, finishing his haircut quickly but still taking care with the clippers around his ears and neck.

Once I was done I took my leave of him, tidying up as he paid and left.

The young girl still sat in the other chair, looking dejected and miserable.

If she was here for a haircut it meant her usual hairdresser was unavailable.

I wondered what had happened, but didn't ask.

Instead, I went over to her and began removing the elastic band from her hair, letting long brown locks fall to her shoulders.

"Evening"

I started, but before I could continue she cut me off.

"I don't want a chat, thank you," she muttered gruffly, staring at her feet.

I draped the geometric patterned cape over Sophie, a cherished piece from my late mother.

As I wrapped the white neck tape around her neck, she wrinkled her nose and pouted.

"This tape is annoying," she grumbled softly.

I chuckled, fastening the cape and folding the tape down neatly.

"It keeps the hair off your neck, sötnos," I explained, trying to ease her discomfort.

She sighed, watching me in the mirror with a mix of curiosity and reluctance.

I began combing through her tangled hair gently, careful not to tug too hard.

"So, what's this haircut for?" I asked, hoping to engage her further.

Sophie's gaze drifted away from mine, her eyes clouding over as she stared at some point beyond the mirror.

"I don't want to talk about it," she mumbled, her voice barely above a whisper.

I nodded sympathetically, continuing to work on her hair in silence.

The only sound was the soft hum of the heater in the corner and the gentle rustling of her hair as I combed through it.

Suddenly, Sophie's eyes snapped back to mine, a hint of determination in them.

"But I'll tell you about my bad day," she said, her voice still soft but with a newfound resolve.