The Old Friend at the Barbershop

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Imani walked into the barbershop on a quiet Saturday morning. The shop was small but clean. There were three chairs and two big mirrors on the wall. A radio played soft music in the corner. Imani sat down and waited for his turn. He picked up a magazine from the table. The magazine was old, but he did not mind. He looked at the pictures and turned the pages slowly. There were two other people waiting in the shop. One man read a newspaper. The other man looked at his phone. The barber was busy with a customer in the first chair. Imani felt relaxed. He liked this barbershop because it was always calm. He came here every month for a haircut. After a few minutes, the door opened. A tall man walked in.

He wore a gray jacket and carried a small bag. Imani looked up from his magazine. He stared at the man for a moment. The man looked very familiar. Then Imani smiled. It was Kofi, his old friend from school. They were in the same class many years ago. "Kofi! Is that you?" Imani said loudly. Kofi turned and looked at Imani. His eyes grew wide. "Imani! I cannot believe it!" Kofi said. He walked over quickly and they shook hands. "It is so good to see you," Imani said. "How long has it been?" Kofi asked. "I think it has been about ten years," Imani replied.

The two friends sat down together and started to talk. Kofi told Imani about his life. He worked as a driver now and he had two children. Imani told Kofi about his job at a small shop. They laughed about funny things from their school days. "Do you remember our old teacher?" Kofi asked. "Yes! He was very strict," Imani said with a laugh. The barber called Imani's name. It was his turn for a haircut. "Wait for me," Imani said. "We can get some tea after this." "Of course," Kofi said. "I am not going anywhere." Imani sat in the barber's chair and smiled. He was very happy. He lost a friend many years ago, but today he found him again.