The Man Who Lost A Hat

Beside the River...

There were lots of different people walking along the narrow, old path beside the river. Most of them were wearing hats, all kinds of different ones, mostly because this was the fashion of the day.

He had never worn a hat himself. Maybe it was something he hadn't given enough time to think about. These days he was sure that the people looked at him strangely though. And some days, when he walked beside the flowing river and felt the breeze across his untidy hair, he felt awkward. So maybe he did need one.

Suddenly a young guy in a very trendy-looking cap brushed past him, and he slipped over onto the side of the path, amazed that he didn't get any apology from the man, who had already gone far ahead. 

Getting up from the ground he paused for a moment and gazed into the bright water. It swirled and flowed with energy and light. And he was transfixed for a time. But he still felt lonely.

There were others too who stood together gazing into the water. They were bright couples though and many wearing perfect-looking hats.

No one came to talk to him or took any interest and he wondered if it was because he wasn't wearing a bright blue hat, or a red one, or a dark green one, or a cap that hid his unstylish hair.

He thought it would be a cool thing to wear one... And maybe one day he might find one, if he looked hard enough. If he just kept walking. 

So he walked on hurriedly thinking of all the ways he might acquire a hat. He might ask to borrow one. Or he might find an unwanted one. Meanwhile, it was also easy to look at the beautiful movement of the river.

A girl appeared beside him, interested at how quickly he walked.

He was worried that she would pass on by or make some comment. After all, he hadn't got a hat... yet.

But then; she wasn't wearing one either... They stopped.

The girl said then:

"Is it ok to walk beside you?"

In fact, she had noticed he wasn't wearing a hat, but to her this was interesting. She thought it nice that he'd even bothered to stop.

Meanwhile he just looked at her, because he was still expecting her to move on, swiftly. "I'm not wearing anything on my head."

"That's ok." She said. "If you like... we can both look for one..."

The girl waited for a reply, seeing that some sort of a shadow still lay across his face; something distant that distracted him. She felt that he needed her company.

Meanwhile, the young man couldn't believe someone had actually noticed him. It hardly ever happened. He said, of course yes. That would be good.

And he felt excited and flattered because also he'd noticed she was beautiful in a very natural way. Even without a hat.

"Shall we go?" she said.

And he was still a little surprised, because again he felt this awkwardness. He had always imagined hats would cause some sort of an issue; that no one would want his company without one.

They walked on and he began to relax and gradually the more they walked and the more they talked he soon forgot completely about hats.

In fact, they even laughed occasionally at some of the ones they saw.

This went on for some while, since they walked a lot, and he found it could be fun. Maybe because he no longer worried so much about himself.