Mindviewers Stories

It was just three days until our next exam, and I decided to go get a haircut. A friend of mine decided to accompany me, so we went together. When we arrived at the barbershop, there was blaring music that made the atmosphere lively and entertaining. The place was well lit with white walls, creating an alluring sight.

The barbers had two other customers who were already seated and getting their haircuts. We took a seat on a comfortable sofa while we waited for our turn. The sofa was so cozy that you could easily fall asleep on it. There was even a charging socket nearby, so you could plug in your phone while waiting.

My friend and I were having fun, chatting and laughing until it was finally my turn. I left my phone on the couch and walked over to the barber’s chair. He greeted me with a friendly smile and started trimming my hair, engaging in light conversation as he worked. I could see my friend occasionally glancing at his phone, and the upbeat music provided a great backdrop to our experience.

As I relaxed in the chair, I felt a sense of relief from the upcoming exam stress. Once the haircut was finished, I looked in the mirror and felt a wave of confidence wash over me.

When I returned to the sofa, I reached for my phone, only to find it missing. A knot of anxiety formed in my stomach. “Hey, have you seen my phone?” I asked my friend, who looked up with a puzzled expression.

searching his face to see if he was tricking me, maybe hiding my phone just to get me anxious. But he looked so innocent, wearing a genuinely bewildered expression. Even so, I couldn't help but pester him. “Come on, just bring out the phone so I can pay for the haircut, and then we can get going,” I insisted.

He stood firm, adamantly denying that he had taken my phone. After some back-and-forth, with hesitations and arguments, it became increasingly clear that he truly hadn’t touched it. My heart sank as I realized the worst: my phone was actually gone. It had been stolen.

I felt a wave of panic wash over me. I took a deep breath and made my way back to the barber. “Excuse me,” I said, trying to keep my voice steady, “I think my phone has been stolen. Did anyone see anything?”

Unfortunately, the barber's response was far from reassuring. He couldn't provide me with any reasonable or responsible reply. I could see he was busy, but the lack of help was disheartening. In that moment, a heavy sense of loss settled in. I knew I had lost something tangible, something that held not just value but many of my personal memories and contacts. I could already feel the dread creeping in, knowing there was no way I would be getting it back.

I was curious about what he was doing sitting there in the dark, so I approached him to find out. As I got closer, I realized he was taking some black dust and putting it into his nose. My heart sank as I processed what I was seeing. This was a young boy, probably no older than 16, and his name was Thiago.

“What could possibly drive him to this?” I wondered, a mix of concern and disbelief washing over me. I decided to pull out my flashlight, hoping to get a clearer view of the substance in his palm. The beam illuminated what I feared: he was into drugs. It wasn’t just any substance; it was tobacco, and he was stuffing it into his nose in large quantities.

Feeling a surge of urgency, I called out to him, repeating his name three times, each time slightly louder. “Thiago! Thiago! What are you doing?"

He looked up, but his gaze was distant, as if he were somewhere far away. His head hung low, and he waved at me twice, the smoke coming from his mouth curling into the air. “This life," he said softly, almost resigned.

He tried to talk but the words wouldn't come. He tried for a second time and yet I couldn't make out a thing from what he was saying.
"I lost my school fees to betting" he managed to say after several minutes of waiting.

After trying and failing with airdrops too many times, I decided to give up on that whole thing. I wanted to find a better way to make steady money, something more reliable that didn’t feel so hard to get.

Then, I thought about testnets. It kept coming to my mind, so I decided to give it a try. I called a friend who was into it and learned that he was making a little money—about $5 to $10 here and there. While that didn’t seem like a lot, it was better than what I had been doing.

I asked him to send me the links to the latest testnet projects on his phone, and he agreed. I felt excited and more confident knowing I was taking action.

I jumped right in and clicked on all the links he sent me. Some needed me to set up wallets, while others had simple tasks, like sending a small amount of crypto or using certain apps. I carefully followed each step, making sure I didn’t miss anything. Each task I completed felt like I was getting closer to making some real money.