barber_shop pete the boy stared into the mirrors, lost in his own reflections. trying to understand the concept of reflections within reflections within eternities of silence, he reached towards the glass. "sit still," the barber entoned, used to the illusion from her years in working this small corner of the mall. he didn't say anything but peered deeper. not yet able to articulate his thoughts, ignorant of soul and virtue, he pondered in his simple way of what life was like within each mirror world. there were so many of them, infinity times two, he thought, and in each one he and the barber existed. smiling he saw his mother, pregnant with her sixth child, trying to do the laundry. an infinity times two different takes on that same event played out in his mind. in many he tried to help, but made a greater mess. in the rest he watched as his mother laboured away at the day to day tasks, silent and feeling like he should be doing something, almost guilty but he was still innocent. the chair moved up as the barber worked the pump and the boy got a glimpse into another infinity times two universes where he and the barber were going through the same monthly routine. i wonder, he thought, if in each of these infinity times two plus infinity times two worlds do i get a lollipop for being good? he waited patiently to see. by the time his hair was properly cut, his neck dusted with the funny little broom, he watched eagerly into the other universes. the barber came down in each one with a box full of lollipops. good, he thought, we were all good boys today! smiling he sat down with his lollipop, seeing his twins behind the mirror do the same as his dad took his turn in the barber's chair. 050622 what's it to you? who go blather from