Daddy dropped off at the barber shop and as my expression pleaded with him to stay with me he said something like he would be back shortly and walked away. I entered the shop and took a seat. When a barber called "Next" I nervously climbed into the chair. The barber shop had a glass front and I kept turning my head hopingto see my dad returning. The barber was finished with me and dad was still absent. I climbed out of the chair and began to walk toward the door. Dad had not paid the barber and had not left 75 cents with me. As I walked to the door, the barber called after me, "you gonna pay me next Tuesday," and everyone laughed.
I wasn't any more than five years old and I was frightened. What would happen to me for failing to pay the barber? I searched for my dad, going first to the two stores owned by my uncles. I found daddy in a parking lot talking to some other men. I grabbed him and said, "You've got to go pay the barber." He said "in a minute" and kept talking. It was at least 30 minutes ( it seemed like hours) before he broke away and went to the barber shop. All of that time I was pleading with him to pay the barber before I was arrested.
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