To Sit In An Antique Barber Chair - We Have Forgotten What A Decent Haircut Can Feel Like
When I was just a child I can fondly hark back to sitting on an antique barber chair at the local barber shop and observing my father getting a haircut and shave. It is not anything like what it is these days. There was an skill to it. The barber really appreciated what he was doing and it was obvious that my father loved it. Not only that, but the barber shop was where men could hang out amongst themselves.
The haircuts were always so thorough. My dad would be sitting in one of the countless used barber chairs while the barber would willfully take his time to give the flawless cut. Nearly all men kept their hair short as that was the manner back then. Following the hair cut was a shave. This was not a shave as we visualize today, with foam from a can and a molded disposable razor. Rather, the lather was put on with a badger brush and a straight blade razor was put to use. It looks frightening, but it is the smoothest shave you can ever receive. After the shave was the hot towel that always felt so pleasant.
The men would principally talk about sports or local politics, though the matter of women would come up a great deal. It was a time to relax and get to know everyone a bit better. Now, when you get a haircut the chatting is kept to a minimum and you often try to get out as soon as you can.
As I stroll by the local barber shop and spot the sign indicating barber chairs for sale, I wonder why this practice has mostly vanished from our traditions. Do people not value a good hair cut and shave anymore? Have we all become so anti-social that spending an afternoon chatting with our buds and neighbors seems like a unpleasant task? While I am not one to be cynical and only wish for "how things were", I do wish that people will think of and value the way it was just a couple years ago.
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