Welcome back to Rainbow Snippets. 😀 😀

Continuing with “The Hippie Whisperer“, Carl and Ben are having a beer after dinner. Longer for context.

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I (Carl) said, “Not to be forward, though our exchanges up to this point have been just that. How old are you?”

“I’ll be thirty-seven on the third of July,” Ben replied.

Wow, I definitely saw him as much younger than that. “Well, you don’t look it,” I grudgingly admitted.

“Thanks, I think. You’re about forty-nine, right?”

“Forty-seven.” We were doing so well.

“Touchy.”

“It’s been a difficult twenty-four hours.”

“Look, I know I can be a bit much to take all at once, with the clothes and plain-speaking. I tend to plough ahead, no matter the consequences. I won’t apologize for that, because it’s who I am, like it or not. But I have a question for you. Tell me the truth.” His eyes bored into me. “How long has it been since you did something just for you?”

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Morning, all! Welcome to Rainbow Snippets. 😀 😀

Continuing with “The Hippie Whisperer“, Ben’s “even white teeth” are distracting.” Longer for context.

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“I suppose you’re mostly nondescript when you’re working?” I gathered up the rest of the plates while Chester and Dre put away the leftovers.

“More or less. What about you? What do you do?”

“Well, nothing as glamorous as you. I’m a counselor at a community college.”

“I see. And you ask me what right I have to force people to—”

“Wait a minute! I don’t force anyone to do anything. I simply provide guidance and support for students in order to meet their goals.”

“But it’s according to what you think they should do, what you think is best for them, right?”

“Well, yes. That’s what I’m trained for.”

“Using art as a way to enlighten an audience, enhance human experience and thought, no matter how uncomfortable—that’s what I’m trained for.”

“Okay, okay. I get it.” One thing about Ben, you were never in doubt as to his true feelings on a subject. “Can we cry truce?” I asked.

“But we were just getting started,” Ben said with a cheeky smile.

Oh dear, the patriotic punk had even, white teeth. The universe had it in for me, surely.

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Welcome to Rainbow Snippets weekend!

I thought I’d share the new cover of my upcoming short story, “For the Love of Muscles” – smokin’, right? 🙂

Continuing with “The Hippie Whisperer“, Ben is still shattering Carl’s concept of reality. 🙂 A little longer than six sentences for context. Mea culpa.

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Ben said, “I don’t always dress like this. My hair, so you know, is part of the ‘show’ around the mural I’m working on. It’ll be done in time for the Fourth of July. At that time, my hair will go back to its usual blond.”

“So the picture online was—”

“I’m not online.” Before I could contradict him, I heard a cough. I looked over at Chester and saw him exchange a look with Dre. Guilty. Ben was a quicker study than I, however.

“Oh, now I get it. I wondered why Dre took that photo of me when I got to the house today.” Ben looked over at the mischief makers. “You guys created the account right after that, didn’t you?”

They both shrugged and smiled, neither confirming nor denying anything.

“I don’t do online dating,” Ben said, turning his attention back to me. “That is the epitome of subterfuge, in my book.”

Definitely something we could agree on. Damn it, but he intrigued me.

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Welcome to Rainbow Snippets weekend!

Ben explains why he dresses the way he does… “The Hippie Whisperer“… A little longer than six sentences for context. Carl is in the first person.

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“To answer your question,” Ben said, “sure, I employ the shock factor, if only because I get to see people as they really are, without artifice. First impressions always count. It’s rare to get a second chance. If something jars them or resonates on some level, and manages to open their mind, my job is done. If it doesn’t, then maybe it wasn’t time yet, and they can scurry back to that little box of staid reality they live in.”

“So is everything about making a point, with you?” I asked. “Forcing people to see or experience things they may not be ready for, according to your vision? What gives you the right to do that?”

“Just so you know,” Ben said, “when I dress like this, it’s usually to help me gauge the new people in my life. Their first response tells me all I need to know. I do like bright colors, especially in my art. But I like more mundane things, too.” He grabbed his
plate and got up to take it to the sink. I got up and took mine, too, drawn to him and his ability to cut through to the heart of things like a magnet, despite myself.

“So you’re saying you have a more subtle side?” I was  skeptical, as you might imagine, since my retinas had yet to recover.

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