The age of barber shops

[Squidnation]

I got barbershop story but from a different side of the street. I use to go to the barbershop with my grandmother. She took me for 10 years until she found the playboys behind the counter. She yelled at the two older italian men until they were red in the face. She took me to salons after that. Three weeks ago I decided to try the barbershop in the strip center full of Latin shops, resturants, markets, ice cream parlor and barbershop. My friends say I am crazy going there because they don't speak english so they must be criminals. I laugh and tell them they are good people. We I walk in and its the same as the old barbershop but filled with younger hispanic men. An older dude in a cuban style shirt and gilligan hat sweeping the floor and dancing to blaring reggeaton. A couple cuban guys playing pool in the back. Two younger barbers one black, one white speaking spanish at warp speed about the world cup and up and coming salisbury boxer fernando guerrero. I sat in the chair with a bit of apprehension and told the kid what I wanted in spanish. for the next 45 minutes he cut my hair and would not finish until he was satisfied it was perfect. When I was finished he shook my hand and said $10.00. Geez I haven't paid ten dollars for a hair cut in 15 years. I stopped in the spanish market and bought some stuff to make ceviche and was shocked when what i bought was $5.95. When I got home I asked my wife what that would cost at giant food and she said $10.00. Then I stopped at the ice cream place and bought a coconut ice cream cone for $1.50. I was shocked as to how inexpensive everything is in the entire strip center.

Anyway - That barbershop is the only place I will go to get my haircut even if it is full of spanish speaking criminal

[Big Jay]

It's not too late. All we have to do is become parent's again, instead of trying to be their freind's. Freindship will come later, if your a parent today. Respect is to be earned, it can't be bought with "stuff" they really don't need in the first place. A marrage where mom and dad stay together, a roof over their head's, clothe's on their back's, help with homework and a good "homecooked" meal is what is needed. The "extra's" (only if you can afford it) can come later, when they can actually appreciate it. What I am talking about is family. If you're gonna have kid's be a Father and a Mother!!! It's really pretty simple. That's one thing I really do like about the place I call home, we still have quite abit of that here. Not trashing anywhere else. Frank

Frank,

My parents were the type that wouldn't let me go along with the crowd just to be "cool". I was one of those kids that while all the others had the latest trends...if they didn't seem appropriate...no way in hell I was allowed to go along with them.

The crazy hair
Baggy jeans
Weird expensive sneakers
etc.

Its funny how you get older and suddenly "cool" becomes something different.

My left wrist has a Maraton T-SAR US Government dive watch NOT a gaudy Casio G-Shock.

My hair is a short, buzz-cut style NOT a mohawk or some flopped over mess.

I wear boat shoes stained with blood and bleach marks NOT crocs (although i am tempted ).

Funny the stuff you carry over from when you were a kid. I thank my parents.

[Big Jay]

I got barbershop story but from a different side of the street. I use to go to the barbershop with my grandmother. She took me for 10 years until she found the playboys behind the counter. She yelled at the two older italian men until they were red in the face. She took me to salons after that. Three weeks ago I decided to try the barbershop in the strip center full of Latin shops, resturants, markets, ice cream parlor and barbershop. My friends say I am crazy going there because they don't speak english so they must be criminals. I laugh and tell them they are good people. We I walk in and its the same as the old barbershop but filled with younger hispanic men. An older dude in a cuban style shirt and gilligan hat sweeping the floor and dancing to blaring reggeaton. A couple cuban guys playing pool in the back. Two younger barbers one black, one white speaking spanish at warp speed about the world cup and up and coming salisbury boxer fernando guerrero. I sat in the chair with a bit of apprehension and told the kid what I wanted in spanish. for the next 45 minutes he cut my hair and would not finish until he was satisfied it was perfect. When I was finished he shook my hand and said $10.00. Geez I haven't paid ten dollars for a hair cut in 15 years. I stopped in the spanish market and bought some stuff to make ceviche and was shocked when what i bought was $5.95. When I got home I asked my wife what that would cost at giant food and she said $10.00. Then I stopped at the ice cream place and bought a coconut ice cream cone for $1.50. I was shocked as to how inexpensive everything is in the entire strip center.

Anyway - That barbershop is the only place I will go to get my haircut even if it is full of spanish speaking criminal

Yeah but are they trying to build a Bodega ontop of the Alamo on the anniversary of the day it fell?

Anyway, yeah...a lot of the barber shops near where I live are just like that. People think I'm a cop when I walk through areas like that anyway. I have no idea why. I've lived in areas like that all my life. Worked as a bouncer in them, etc.

My mother grew up in South Orange NJ on the border of Newark.

Pops grew up in West Paterson in the border of Paterson.

Both very different places now.

Never really bothers me. Couple weeks ago I walked into a Colombian restaurant in downtown Paterson NJ called "Rancho Mateo" order the "mixto" dinner. Steak, ribs, rice, salad, potato, plaintain and 2 empanadas on the side. They looked at me like i had 3 heads. Food came out in less than 5 min. Filled to the brim. $11. Can't beat that. Gave them a $5 tip. Figured in this economy, how could anyone make money charging that little? Girl behind the corner turns bright red, I smile she says "Gracias....." Every time I come back now...it's "Hola amigo! Como estas?"

I have no problem with the good people in this country that love to be here. Love to provide a good service. Work hard for their money.

The one's I DO have a problem with are those that cheered on 9/11. Those who spit in the face of this country.

As far as I'm concerned....they can get the f**k out.

[seapower]

My wife is the only barber I go to. A #2 on an Oster clipper does just fine. None of my kid's ever went to a barber shop, they got the same treatment I did. My daughter for a matter of fact alway's had her mom cut her hair. Family, family, family. We need to get back to the basic's. Frank

[Big Jay]

My wife is the only barber I go to. A #2 on an Oster clipper does just fine. None of my kid's ever went to a barber shop, they got the same treatment I did. My daughter for a matter of fact alway's had her mom cut her hair. Family, family, family. We need to get back to the basic's. Frank

Frank,

Mother tried to cut my hair a few times. We took her scissors away. Still haven't found that piece of my ear. I think it's behind the curio cabinet. Dogs sniff it something fierce every now and then. Then we gave her a buzzer. She somehow still managed to cut us with the buzzer.

Now I trust Frank (Frank the barber) and him only. LOL

[seapower]

Yep my mother was dangerous with a pair of shear's too. I think she fed the ear piece's to the dog's, because they used to alway's surround the chair when she went to cuttin'. Then she found this great new contraption called a "hair wiz". It was a coarse comb with a razar blade back toward the base. Yes sir, cut's hair as easy as combing it, not!!!! That thing pulled it out in patches. If I wiggled or God forbit yelled "ouch", she'd whack me up side the head and tell me to shut up and hold still. Like that was gonna make any difference on how my hair cut was gonna look. I was the only kid I knew that could walk through town and the homeless guy's would throw money at me. It was tough back then, TV was in black and white ya know. Frank