The Silent Evaluation — A Micro-short Story

Today, I decided to seek a new barber as I wasn’t happy with my current one. After all, I had both silently reproached and evaluated him; I’d given him plenty of opportunities to dissuade me from veering off.

As I walked out of the new barbershop from which I just had my hair cut, my old barber’s name appeared on my phone, calling. I intuitively sigh and then answer.

“Hey, are you ok?” “Yes,” I reply “what’s up?”
“I saw you coming out of the other guy’s barbershop. Did I do anything wrong?” I cringe “ Umm… No, nothing wrong at all; I just wanted to try something new.”

Part lie; part true.

I feel horrible.
I guess this is a sliver of the shame which engulfs a cheating spouse once caught?