Funny how I 'feel' when I go to Ed's Barber shop to get my hair cut. My barber, Mazz, is over 70 and loves to talk about his grand kids (today it was more about his daughter that he "put through college over 20 years ago and it costs $26,000 (he tracked it!) and today it costs that much for one year?" He drives to Greensboro each weekend on Sunday..."about a 90-minute ride to have lunch with the family and the wife. Route 220 to Route 68, lots of nice houses on that road"). While in the chair, one patron asks Ed, the owner, "Who do you think will win the debate tonight?" As only Ed can do, he replies "Well, if you are a republican, you probably think your candidate wins and if you are a democrat, you think your candidate wins. It doesn't really matter." Ask him about the old piece of natural copper he has on his book shelf and your cut will take an extra 5 minutes.
In the middle chair, Dave cuts a doctor's hair, who proceeds to give only a $1 tip on an $11 haircut! Are you kidding me?! Dave is the quiet one in the shop. He takes the most ribbing from Ed.
Of course, to ring up the haircut, the barbers have to hit $5, $5, $1 on the register and pull the handle each time. No electronic register, and certainly no debit card machine - CASH ONLY. And, you know where the register is? Out in the middle of the floor, actually closer to the customers waiting to get their hair cut than it is to the owner!!
One of the songs I heard on the radio while I was there today "Delta Dawn, what's that flower, you have on..." Clearly, an A.M. radio only barber shop!! Dubble Bubble gum and DumDum suckers, of course.
I don't know, call me crazy, but the simple life and talk in Ed's barber shop is somewhat calming in these times. One of those trips I look forward to every 4 weeks. I rarely have to say a word...Just Listen & smile!!!
Posts
Times have changed but remained the same--oxymoron, no. Actuality, yes. I so remember your first haircut. Listening to my mother, you did not get a haircut until your first birthday and indeed that is the day you went. It was in a two chair barber shop and "Sleepy" Robinson was the barber. After the cut I could once again see those big blue eyes. Your beautiful curly red locks were cut and you even got some "slickem"
ReplyDeleteto finish the cut. You were quite
a dapper young man when he finished. He too had the old fashioned cash register but it didn't ring that day. "First haircuts are free." And,yes, you did also get a Dum Dum lollipop.
I'm so pleased you are passing that on to your sons. Barber shops will probably fade away, but it is never the same in the salons. Too bad.
You went to the barbers for a few years before you were placed into the home based shoppe when I bought a set of clippers. I worked so much and it was much easier for me to place you in a chair in the kitchen. All went well until that fateful day when you heard "oops!"
You have long since forgiven but I'm sure not forgotten. My biggest regret that time was I think you were going to a homecoming dance or something. Now it's a great story.
Let's all salute our combs to the hometown barber. With "shear" luck, may they remain forever.