A Turkish barbers has opened close to where my parents live. One of the barbers (I think they’re Kurdish) came round to cut my Dad’s hair yesterday because Dad can’t leave the house after having a stroke. The lovely guy didn’t want to take any money for it, and although I insisted on paying, his kindness will live with me for a long time.
Abi - A great start to the day reading your piece on hairdressers. Well written and so insightful. I can relate to your story.
The salon is the modern day confessional - I have heard it myself many times when picking up my wife from the hairdressers in Woolton. Whilst waiting for her, it was like listening to a comedy club sketch - so much laughter, advice, banter - I was like a hidden member of the audience listening in to the stories unfold.
Remember not long after my (now) Wife and her mother moved into the area where we now live at the other end of Walton from where we all did, they found a salon not too far from where we lived, and she would take her mother, as well as visiting herself. She never told me any of the gossip that went on, but she did say that quite often the only fellas you'd ever encounter in there were usually just picking their wives up, she would often come home with various bits & bobs all bought from the salon owner herself, who would occasionally also provide the odd joint of meat! A few years later, fed up of seeing me return from various barbers with my hair cut much shorter than she preferred, she "had a few words with the Salon Owner, and I was "allowed in" BUT only on quiet days, or towards the end of the day, when anybody who was in was near enough finished.
Years later, when she lost her sight, and her confidence, either she or her assistant would call around in the car and bring and return her from the salon (along with a couple of things either her or my wife were both unaware they needed!) She's retired now, and the salon is no more, but she does occasionally do house visits
BTW Abi, extremely brave move, publishing an earlier photo of yourself, Boss hairdo :-)
While The Post may be a modern online newspaper, it’s good to see the tradition of dreadful puns in headlines lives on (especially appropriate since hairdressers are also known for them)
Lovely piece Abi. Fab photo, I have a few like that. 🤣
It takes me back to my childhood when I would go with my mum to get her hair done. It was an experience, all the woman, all the chatter. The big drying machines fascinated me. One of my daughters is now a hairdresser and she gets to hear all the gossip. It’s all part of the job and she loves it.
Lovely piece Abi. It was interesting to read how Drew Quayle was inspired to write his play. Liverpool playwright Willy Russell says he was similarly inspired by his time working in and then running a ladies hair salon. He tuned in to the psyche of the customers and they helped inspire the strong female characters in his plays, Shirley Valentine, Educating Rita and Blood Brothers. Ladies salons sound so much more interesting than men's barbers...... I'm glad I no longer have to go to them as my rapidly receding bonce can now be easily sorted by my daughter! Great photo of your younger self by the way!
Cried laughing at the story about the scaly with the black bin bag. Wonderfully poignant and well written piece altogether. I really enjoyed it. So relatable. My hairdresser is my therapist and knows things about me that nobody else does.
A Turkish barbers has opened close to where my parents live. One of the barbers (I think they’re Kurdish) came round to cut my Dad’s hair yesterday because Dad can’t leave the house after having a stroke. The lovely guy didn’t want to take any money for it, and although I insisted on paying, his kindness will live with me for a long time.
Abi - A great start to the day reading your piece on hairdressers. Well written and so insightful. I can relate to your story.
The salon is the modern day confessional - I have heard it myself many times when picking up my wife from the hairdressers in Woolton. Whilst waiting for her, it was like listening to a comedy club sketch - so much laughter, advice, banter - I was like a hidden member of the audience listening in to the stories unfold.
Thanks Steve!
Remember not long after my (now) Wife and her mother moved into the area where we now live at the other end of Walton from where we all did, they found a salon not too far from where we lived, and she would take her mother, as well as visiting herself. She never told me any of the gossip that went on, but she did say that quite often the only fellas you'd ever encounter in there were usually just picking their wives up, she would often come home with various bits & bobs all bought from the salon owner herself, who would occasionally also provide the odd joint of meat! A few years later, fed up of seeing me return from various barbers with my hair cut much shorter than she preferred, she "had a few words with the Salon Owner, and I was "allowed in" BUT only on quiet days, or towards the end of the day, when anybody who was in was near enough finished.
Years later, when she lost her sight, and her confidence, either she or her assistant would call around in the car and bring and return her from the salon (along with a couple of things either her or my wife were both unaware they needed!) She's retired now, and the salon is no more, but she does occasionally do house visits
BTW Abi, extremely brave move, publishing an earlier photo of yourself, Boss hairdo :-)
My only claim to fame is that my Aunt used to cut George Harrison’s Mum’s hair. Tenuous, I know but a highlight (geddit?) of my showbiz life.
Lovely read, Abi.
Brilliant claim to fame, even better pun!
While The Post may be a modern online newspaper, it’s good to see the tradition of dreadful puns in headlines lives on (especially appropriate since hairdressers are also known for them)
Got to admit I’m partial to a shoddy pun…
Lovely piece Abi. Fab photo, I have a few like that. 🤣
It takes me back to my childhood when I would go with my mum to get her hair done. It was an experience, all the woman, all the chatter. The big drying machines fascinated me. One of my daughters is now a hairdresser and she gets to hear all the gossip. It’s all part of the job and she loves it.
Thank you Carolyn! God I went through some outrageous haircuts…
Lovely piece Abi. It was interesting to read how Drew Quayle was inspired to write his play. Liverpool playwright Willy Russell says he was similarly inspired by his time working in and then running a ladies hair salon. He tuned in to the psyche of the customers and they helped inspire the strong female characters in his plays, Shirley Valentine, Educating Rita and Blood Brothers. Ladies salons sound so much more interesting than men's barbers...... I'm glad I no longer have to go to them as my rapidly receding bonce can now be easily sorted by my daughter! Great photo of your younger self by the way!
Thanks Stevo!
Cried laughing at the story about the scaly with the black bin bag. Wonderfully poignant and well written piece altogether. I really enjoyed it. So relatable. My hairdresser is my therapist and knows things about me that nobody else does.
Thanks Jayne, really made me laugh too!