The Man in the Hat

 The man in the hat



 There is a man out there, somewhere, that will change your live forever. He will come when you least expect it, but you will welcome him into your life. He will come up behind you, and tap you on your shoulder with his long cane that is made out of very rare African tree wood and it will be so smooth that you can see your reflection in it. You will look at his smart, dark blue suit and his red and black striped tie. You will look up at his face, his pale and somewhat sweet face, with blue eyes and light red lips. He will smile at you with the most charming and welcoming smile you have ever seen, and he will start a conversation with you. He will tell you about himself, he will tell you about his made up home town somewhere in England and he will tell you about how he inherited his wealth. Then he will start asking you questions. He will ask you what you name is, you will answer. He will ask you where you live, you will answer. He will ask you your age, favourite hobby and your occupation, and you will answer. And eventually, without thinking, you will steer the topic of the conversation towards his hat. His tall, smart top hat made of some kind of fabric with a shade of black so dark that no light can escape its surface. You will say that you like it, you will ask him where he got it from, he will answer. He will then point with his long, bony finger at his hat and he will ask you the question. The question that will change your life, the question that for the sake of your soul you will have to answer correctly. This will be the only question he will ask you that you have free will over answering, and you will answer it incorrectly.

  "Do you want to try it on?" The man will ask you.

 "Yes" You will say, not knowing the danger of that word you just spoke.

 He will swiftly take off his hat with a beckoning, charming grin on his face and flip the hat towards you as if to say that there is nothing in it. like a magician, about to pull a hare out of his top hat on stage. He will make a gesture to you that you should lower your head, you will do so. He will place the hat on top of your head, slowly and almost menacingly. With every inch that the hat gets closer to your head his smile will grow wider. And the moment the hat touches your head you will feel free, you will feel a great weight lifted off your shoulders and your face will wear the same smile that the man had. You will get a sudden urge to go to the next person you see and tap them on the back with your long, shiny wooden cane and start a conversation with them. They will look at your smart, dark blue suit and red and black striped tie. They will look up at your face, your pale and somewhat sweet face with blue eyes and light red lips. And you will smile at them, with the most charming and welcoming smile they have ever seem. And they will ask you about your hat.