I saw an old man sitting outside the salon
I observe him as he doesn’t want a hair cut
He murmurs something to the customers
as they go past him into the shop and out
then I watch closely to see a bag beside him
did it contain something that he needed to sell?
It is whisky from my military ration, he tells me
sensing my curiosity, would you like to?
barter it for cash so that I could carry on?
Don’t you drink young man, to which I said no
I did not have money on me to help him
but I wished someone had the spirit to…
The barter spirit
Published
Perceptions 