The Mask Shop[
Nov 29, 2022 4:01:58 GMT -5
Post by Radrook Admin on Nov 29, 2022 4:01:58 GMT -5
The Mask Shop
By Radrook
By Radrook
The Mask Shop was a total mystery. No, these were not just any ordinary masks, no siree Bob, these masks were special. No, nobody knew where the merchant, a short middle-aged stocky black- haired fellow of a swarthy complexion, had acquired them, and neither was he willing to reveal it. Instead he preferred to keep the customers guessing.
Were these masks based on some newfangled purposeful technological innovation, a result of intense efforts? Or had they been one of those discoveries that is, you know, totally accidental? There are many of those, you know, such as penicillin, plastic, and gunpowder.
Well, in any case, the masks were a rage. All you needed to do was put on the right one that seamlessly, one might almost say instinctively, attached itself to your face, without any trace of it being there, and the mood under which it was classified was yours as long as you kept it on.
There they were, invisibly on display. Each one under its category. You had sorrow, these were excellent for when a customer wished to express grief but really didn’t feel grieved. For example, if an overbearing employer suddenly croaked and an employee was expected at the funeral in a sorrowful mood when he really felt like celebrating, well, this mask would definitely place a sorrowful countenance on your mug. Bloodshot eyes from weeping, bags from a sleepless night of deep sorrow. A perpetual grimace of inconsolable emotional pain which provided the evidence that you indeed were grieving the demise of someone that you really considered your worse enemy.
Of course there were many requests for a Holy Countenance mask. A mask that would immediately would endow the wearer with a very convincing aspect of total innocence or saintliness. The ones requtingsuch masks were those who enjoyed being unfaithful to their spouses and needed to arrive home and display absolutely no evidence of having been engaged in any hanky-panky. Husbands out with the secretary while the wife was home tending the kids and doing laundry, for example. Or wives having congress all day with her husband’s best friend while the husband had been at working in order to pay the bills. It was also popular among those who enjoyed feigning friendship with ulterior motives. You know, the kind of people who simply wanted to get close enough to someone else in order to steal him blind when the trusting fellow lowered his guard. Such masks were not for sale. The storeowner would tell a customer. Finally he was forced to place a sign stating clearly that masks intended for evil purposes were not available. True, he would make less money, but his conscience would be untainted.
Then there was the Bravery Mask, these became very popular among those in the military service who had been suddenly assigned to fight some war and who were shivering in their boots. Put one of these babies on, and they suddenly became the epitome of serenity under intense fire while everyone else cringed and winced at the sound of artillery or the sound of approaching enemy armor. In the midst of the frenetic violent bedlam, there they would be, with a look of unshakable confidence deeply etched on their cowardly faces.
All invisibly on display and all were very ceremoniously attached to the customers face in the small back room after the customer had paid the fee which was approx. 1000 dollars per mask. The merchant would carefully trace a boney index finger around the invisible edges of the invisible mask as if to secure the mask firmly to the customer’s face. He promised that it would stay affixed to the customer’s countenance for the duration of one full week after which it would suddenly dissolve.
No, there were never any vehemently angered demands for refunds. Everyone who bought a mask would later swear by its efficiency. They would also notice that on the specified day that the contract expired, the abilities granted by the masks would wear off just as the merchant had said they would.
Cheating spouses would no longer be able to hide their emotions from their spouse. Seemingly fearless soldiers who had dauntingly been facing the dangers of combat, would suddenly feel cowardly and begin to show it. Liars could no longer convince others of their sincerity just as the merchant said would happen once the contract time for using the mask ran its course.
The merchant was making money hand over fist until a detective had been sent to his store by the local government to see what exactly was going on. Suspicions of quackery had been running rampant and the taking advantage gullible citizens was not something that was going to be tolerated. Detective Swanson entered the shop late that evening and found things exactly as hey had been described. Dozens of display cases with different titles but containing what appeared to be nothing at all. Behind the cash register, of course, was the merchant with a broad smile on his swarthy face. Of course he was smiling The detective thought. The bastard is raking in money while having to provide nothing at all.
"May I help you sir?" the merchant said finally after noticing that the detective was just standing and staring without showing interest in anything at all.
“Yes, you may. It has come to our notice that you are selling masks here?”
”Yes, I do sell masks?”
“Then where are they?” the detective shot back almost immediately while he gesturing towards the seemingly empty rows of cases lined up on a wooden table in the center of the room.
“Ah! I see! So you have come not to purchase, but to verify? Correct?”
”You can put it that way!" the detective grunted.
"Well, in that case then let me be forthright detective! You are right, there are no masks in these display cases."
"So you are admitting that you are deceiving your customers?"
"No I am not!" the storeowner almost shouted while pointing an index finger"
Do you see any dissatisfied customers? How long di you think that I would remain in business if I were not delivering exactly what I promised to? Eh? I 'tell you how long Not even a week. Dissatisfied customers woud be converging on my shop by the thousands and I would need to flee."
"So were are the masks then?"" the detective said with a conviction of one totally unconvinced.
"The mask is within their what sdome might describe as their own souls. Deep within their psyche. Hidden by inhibitions. Totally subsumed by illogical fears and worries. Remove those and they can accomplish whatever they wished to accomplish before they imagined that they had a magical mask on.
Still sounds as if you are stealing to me!"
Then detective, if indeed you will take legal action, you will have to contend with all the satisfied customer testimonies in my defense. I will win the case as I have done numerous times before in many different locations, and the arresting officers will be humiliated as all those others have been. Do you really wish to pout yourself in that situation? Eh?:
For a lomg while the detective stood there pensively. Then he silently turned ariound and walked ourt.