Summary

Chapter 24: The photographer goes to the barbershop. He feels good about being here. The barbershop represents a safe place because this kind of self-care is important. The men who gather here are free to voice their opinions, even if they are loud and wrong, without judgment. Leon and the photographer discuss that it is easier to be a Black man Ghana. Though the barber has been in London “for years and years,” he feels he belongs in Ghana. Leon says the photographer should find a place he can call home. Leon and the photographer share a joint. The photographer is happy, but “The next toke takes you from joy towards a darkness” (120). He struggles during the descent into “a hellish place” with a snake's bite, a monster, and water. Leon's voice pulls him back. They discuss emotional pain. They agree that “Sometimes, it...