The other day I run into an old friend of my late Grandfather, they were never really close, but they saw each other once a week for over 30 years, at the local Barbers shop, even if that was the only time they interacted. They both went Friday mornings for their weekly trim and shave.
It got me thinking, when I was younger I wondered why Poppy bothered to have a haircut once a week, and why he let some stranger shave him; after all I only had a hair cut every few months, and he taught me to shave so he obviously knew how. Now I know it was less about the hair cut and shave, and more about the social interaction, of course after having a proper shave a few times I'm sure that was also a factor, if you've never had a barber shop shave you don't know what you are missing. It's really something, very relaxing.
You don't see it anymore, of if you do, it's only groups of older men doing it. and I think it's sad that that tradition is gone, it was an equalising force. My grandfather sat in a chair next to people from every social standing, from different walks of life.
What other little traditions do you notice we've lost and become poorer for the loss?
It got me thinking, when I was younger I wondered why Poppy bothered to have a haircut once a week, and why he let some stranger shave him; after all I only had a hair cut every few months, and he taught me to shave so he obviously knew how. Now I know it was less about the hair cut and shave, and more about the social interaction, of course after having a proper shave a few times I'm sure that was also a factor, if you've never had a barber shop shave you don't know what you are missing. It's really something, very relaxing.
You don't see it anymore, of if you do, it's only groups of older men doing it. and I think it's sad that that tradition is gone, it was an equalising force. My grandfather sat in a chair next to people from every social standing, from different walks of life.
What other little traditions do you notice we've lost and become poorer for the loss?
