You fail Boomer 101 if you can not name both the actor and the movie that made that line famous—Paul Newman “Cool Hand Luke” 1967. I must have heard and used that reference more times than I can count. Now to an encounter in a barber shop in Montreal.
My first memories of a striped barber pole goes back to “Slicks” barber shop in the basement of the Star Journal and Chieftain newspaper in Pueblo. It was a man’s world. Three chairs, the smells of smell—good stuff, and not a girl in sight. I was on my way to manhood. The standard haircut was a buzz cut until I graduated to a flattop. The best part was going with my dad and feeling special.
I had gotten my vacation haircut knowing I would need to have it tuned up somewhere on the trip. In our hotel lobby, the striped barber shop pole welcomed folks on a ‘first come first serve basis’. I stuck my head in the door and was instructed by the female barber to have a seat outside and she would let me know when it was my turn.
I struck up a great conversation with a local who was familiar with Colorado and told me that communication with the barber could be tricky, but she was good. He was also Chinese, as was the barber, and that her business thrived during covid and never let up. She called me in and I told her I wanted a #ONE all over using my best hand signals to show what I wanted. Away she went.
My glimpse at the mirror showed something more akin to going baldy. Oh well. She gave me the ‘we are are done’ signal and I said, I also need the beard done too. She said, “Fifteen more dollars”. I said, “Sounds good” and away she went. Three minutes later I looked like a Naked Mole Rat. I was smiling, as my hair grows fast.
I paid her with 30$ US. When I left my new friend was smiling and asked me what I thought. “Well, I got my money”s worth”. He laughed—“You paid her in US dollars which is about a 30% tip”.
I walked into our hotel room and MK’s “Wow, you did get a haircut, I like it” put me at ease.
I have had hundreds of haircuts over my life. This is one I will remember. (See Picture) below.
Onward and Upward,
Mark
Lyfting Me Up 