A CUT ABOVE!

 

    SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 4TH., 2023
                  A CUT ABOVE!

       The first Saturday in February has been
designated "National Barber Appreciation
Day." So proclaims the JS Sloane Gentlemen's
Grooming Products Corporation. But that's
good enough for me!
        I don't remember getting my first haircut.
Or any of them when I was a little kid for that
matter.
        My first regular barber, when I was able
to make decisions about such things, was an
Army veteran who ran a small shop just about
4 blocks from my home. He was the perfect
pick since I usually wore what was generally
known as a "Flat top" back in those Jr. and Sr.
High School days.
         After he closed up shop I just tried a shop
here and there for awhile.
         The decision to find something more
"regular and dependable" probably came after
my visit to an Italian barber in my home town.
He was the first to use a straight razor to do some
of the trimming work.
         On what I believe was my second visit
his wife came in as he was working on me
and started to argue with him in Italian. While I
couldn't understand a word they were shouting it
sounded like it was pretty serious and I wasn't
fond of having that straight razor anywhere near
my neck at that particular time!
         Eventually I found a Barber/Stylist in
Wilkes-Barre and visited there every other week.
I was paying a little more attention to my hair
in those days because I was doing part time
television work in addition to my radio
duties. Frank was another Italian, but never
brought his wife in to the shop. I always felt
like royalty there and got the full treatment
from razor cut to a hot towel!
         My wedding day morning was spent in
Frank's shop and he was still my regular
barber for several years afterwards although
bi-weekly visits were becoming a little too
expensive for a young man with a new family.
        Eventually I drifted away and turned
to the most dependable barber I've had in
all my life......my wife.
        Somewhere during her life of mothering,
spinning wool, cooking, cleaning, volunteering,
sewing and a million other things, she learned
how to cut hair!
          So here's a salute to barber's everywhere
on their special day! Thanks for keeping us neat
and trimmed!
          Hope the feuding barber and his wife
have settled their differences (without injuries
to anyone) and that all your NEWS is good!