Ghikas and the razor

Ghikas commented on my long beard when
I entered his grocery store; I said it had
grown too long to shave and I needed to go to
the barber to have it cut.

But he said he had a razor that would work and
showed me the Bic Metal Plus T7.

After I’d paid for everything he told me that
every time he slaughters a pig he shaves it
with one of these razors,
it’s the only one that works.

We both laughed and I could hear him
laughing even after I’d left the store.

In the evening when we walked by,
I was clean-shaven and we were heading
down to the port for dinner.

“You look nice”, Ghikas said when we passed.

I was flattered.

Published in Weeks Like This, 2005