Italian Barbershop 💈

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On Friday I had another speaking engagement in Waterloo, NY.

(Getting tired of hearing myself talk).

Yet, it came with a 90-minute break around lunchtime.

I went for a walk when the other speaker was up. Spotted a 💈 sign.

I normally get my hair trimmed at Super Cuts - it doesn’t take long!

The bell chimed as I opened the door and I locked eyes with an older, definitely Italian man.

“You’re next,” he said.

My mind took me back about 50 years….

…to Saturday mornings at the barbershop in North Collins.

Louie would take HOURS cutting our hair - talking to Dad the whole way as we squirmed in the chairs.

Those Saturday morning haircuts were torture, but I watched Leo of Waterloo cut the man’s hair as I waited.

I couldn’t wait to get into the chair.

“Just a trim?” Leo asked as I sat down.

“Not sure what else you can do with it,” I said.

Leo laughed.

“You Italian?” He asked.

“Yeah!”

We had a connection. I told him about Louie and my haircuts as a kid. 

He shaved my neck with a straight razor.

Worked on my eyebrows.

Slathered me in the same aftershave Louie used to use.

By the end, I was so relaxed I almost fell asleep.

“That was great,” I said.

I gave Leo a huge tip.

Barbershops!

Old Italian man working the scissors.

Awesome!


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