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The Man Wore Black.

Dressed all in black even his shirt was black. I remember thinking, how practical it will never show any stains. Then I thought oh! Boy if he wears that for a few months he will stink to high heaven, on the other hand perhaps he uses cologne water or as it is called eau d’cologne But no as I approached him he neither stank nor were his clothes creased, it looked as if he had just had a bath and dressed ready for an evening rendezvous. I found myself to be in a good mood my assumptions were wrong. The man changed his clothes often no, smells of any kind I was completely wrong about the man. I must stop making assumptions about other peoples everyone is allowed to have a free will and may dress as she or he pleases.

Feeling better i caaried on walking  and saw two women approaching me both looked very scraggy. Both had need a of a hair do, New clothes would have been needed and their shoes well one could have written a book over the state their shoes were in. I at this point thought about what I had said about the man all dressed in black, Now who in hell had given me special permission to object about peoples clothing and looks. It was really no business of mine so why do I do such things. I mafe it a point not to look at people and above all not to crititcise their way of dresing male or female. I felt really ashamed of myself for being so ctitical without knowing a person’s circumstances. How much do they, both he and she have for living. Do they earn good money or are they on some scheme that helps the needy. It I thought to myself is unfriendly to put every one in one large kettle and let them all boil in the steam that I so freely place all over wherever I go, This has got to stop Have I looked in a full length mirror lately, I must admit no, I have not. I passed a Tailors shop. This was a good chance I stopped and pretended to look at some of the goods on show. It was not the shirts, coats, waistcoats or other goods on sale it was the large mirror on the back wall, A wonderful chance for me to see myself as others see me, I had to look twice, was that really me. Why I had not had a shave for two or three days. My hair needed cutting, I asked myself did I have a wash or even clean my teeth after breakfast.on some whim I pulled both my trouser legs up yes it was as i thought my socks were not of the same colour. Too lazy to look for a matching sock, and I going around critiscising people for not being tidily dressed. Now another thought entered my head. What on Earth did people think of me. I would have loved to able to read peoples thoughts. This elderly lady going by me what was she thinking as she looked at me and then quixckly turned her head to look in another shop window. Did I look to her as those other people that I looked at and critiscised.

Only one thing to do hurry back home have a wash and a shave , clean my teeth brush and comb my hair. Fresh clean clothes making sure that my socks matched each other. A freshly dry cleaned suit a splash of after shave. Now I thought I can go out and mix with the best. But wait, yes my shoes they too need a clean. putting an apron on I cleaned and polished my shoes. Put them on looked once more in the hallway mirror. My I looked a treat, anyone would think that I had a rendezvous with the most beautiful girl in the world. Now with a straight back I strolled into town. I was greeted from all sides, I no longer looked at people with critical eyes not really, now my thoughts when I saw someone that looked shabily dressed, Poor soul things must be hard for them. Again I got to thinking. Why had I changed my mind about such people, was it because I myself had gotten into a lazy way of life. Not washing and shaving not cleaning my teeth after meals or just letting my boots and shoes keep the dirt and dust from the roads, did this dirt and dust preserve them was this my excuse. No it was not it was a series of bad habits that had piled up because of my not pulling myself together. And to think that I had critiscised a man because he had dresed himsel all in black ans the conclusions I had drawn from his appearance. The man in black was a Prince in comparance to my own shoddy dress. I have not and never will anymore critisize people and the way they dres, Your scribbler Bern, with a few of his new found bad habits. Keep smiling.