Sweeny... Tom, Dick or Harry?

Last night we happened by a good old-fashioned barber shop, tucked right in among the Bigger-Better-Faster-More. (iTan, iSpa, Vons, Longs, Starbucks, Jamba Juice.)

There was a handwritten sign taped to the glass on the front door, showing evidence of the black marker being painstakingly dragged twice over each letter:

GONE FISHING – BE BACK FRIDAY

A look inside offered more of that quaintness; glimpses of days gone by. It was rather like looking into a living time capsule. The chairs were original, upholstered in a dark and sordid red leather, metal foot-rests quietly gleaming. The chairs in the waiting area along the wall were also authentic, but in a less pleasing way, their seat cushions sagging under the memory of so many hirsute patrons. An old clock on the wall had some long-gone (racist) brand logo on its face, a red "Indian" silhouette. American flags could be spotted in various nooks and crannies, as well as stickers proudly proclaiming the shop's support of "AmVets". An old barometer lay tilted atop a bureau in dusty repose, its ornate hand resting forever on FAIR.

i need to get inside for a closer look, but i'm betting they still use those oldschool lather brushes when they give a shave, like the one my dad used to have in a little ceramic pot filled with its hardened puck of shave cream. The swirling motion of that brush and the smell of Old Spice brings it all back in an instant. Will report back with more super-interesting facts, such as the proprietor's name and what kind of dog he has at home, as well as the size of the fish he caught last week, what the articles on those yellowing newspaper clippings are about, and what age his oldest customer is.