This is Louis...


This is Louis. We met as I pedaled home this evening and he called out to me, “50 cent jokes, you don’t laugh I’ll give your money back.” That’s what he is saying in this photo. Like a loop he would call it out to any car, pedestrian, or bike rider that passed him, “50 cent jokes, you don’t laugh I’ll give your money back,” so I stopped to hear a joke and chat. He just returned to Buffalo and is trying to earn money for barber school. He mentioned the school he wants to attend and the barber shop where he is apprenticing but I was not familiar with either. I took off my helmet and showed him my bald head and told him that I was not in need of a barber and now he laughed. I also mentioned that I didn’t have any cash but could give him a gift card to a restaurant—to the very restaurant he was standing in front of—and he said that would be fine. He told me three very quick jokes, all one liners and all made me laugh. I won’t retell them because I am not a good joke teller and seem to ruin them. When asked, he told me that he has never had to return anyone’s 50 cents. I was about to part and we both instinctively went to shake hands but then caught ourselves. We did an elbow bump instead. Handshakes are what I miss the most I think. Anyhow, as I pedaled away and still chuckling from Louis’ jokes I could hear him calling out to passersby, “50 cent jokes, you don’t laugh I’ll give your money back.” Thanks for making my evening, Louis, and good luck on your barber schooling.

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