The Hairdresser of Harare

Item: The Hairdresser of Harare
Author: WhichBook

Tendai Huchu

A tale of two hairdressers: feisty single mum, Vimbai and handsome rich boy, Dumi. Vimbai's soon captivated by Dumi's generosity and charm and the feeling seems to be mutual. What could possibly go wrong? An engaging tale, full of insights into everyday life in Zimbabwe, which entertained and amused me, but doesn't gloss over the dangers of being different or the difficulties of living in a failing economy.

Extract

Abbas and Sons was a largish Indian store, one of several in the downtown area. There was a queue of about sixty people already there. A hand grabbed me from behind. I quickly turned clutching my handbag.
'It's only me,' Lucy said. She was wearing a dhuku headkerchief over her hair, as if embarrassed by the hairstyle I'd given her less than twenty-four hours previously. I pretended not to notice. 'Give me the money.' She took the brick-like bundle of cash I had and stuffed it into her own large handbag. She did not need to count it. We can tell the value of money from its weight. It wouldn't even matter if it was a few hundred thousand short anyway, the way its value was falling by the hour.

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