As I am writing this, many memories are crowding into my mind.  I remember the smell of Lilac water and talcum powder.  I remember the slight sting of the witch hazel the barber patted onto the newly-shaved back of my neck.  I remember the snick-snick-snick of the scissors and the buzzzzz  of the electric clippers.  I remember walking through the little piles of hair that had fallen to the floor and noticing the many different shades of hair all jumbled together. The barbershop also sold personal grooming products such as safety razors, shaving mugs and brushes, shaving soap in round cakes that fit into the mugs, shaving cream in tubes, various brands of facial astringents and hair tonics, combs and brushes in several shapes and sizes.  I remember using Hopalong Cassidy Hair Trainer when I was young.  It was a thick, grayish slimy-looking liquid that you worked into unruly hair with your fingertips.  You then combed the hair into whatever shape you (or your mother) wanted and waited.  Within 30 minutes, the hair trainer dried, cementing your hair in the decided-on shape.  It would withstand running, playing, blazing sun and hurricane-force winds.  Only large amounts of water or combing with a strong arm could break up the petrified clumps of hair.  It did the job.

Some men have a lot of hair and some men have no hair.  A man with no hair is bald.  A man can be bald because his hair has naturally fallen out over a period of time or because he has had his head shaved.  Many men are bald on the tops of their heads but have a fringe of hair around the sides and back.  Some men let the hair on the sides of their head grow long and then comb those long hairs over the top to cover the bald place.  Men's hair can be blond, brown, black, reddish, gray or white.  Middle-aged or old men may have white or gray hairs mixed in with their regular-colored hair.

Although one can still find these old-fashioned barbershops from time to time, especially in smaller towns, much of the business has changed.  Today, many shops employ hair stylists, not barbers.  Sometimes these stylists are even female.  You are as likely to see them using a hair blower and styling brush as the traditional scissors and comb.  Some barbershops call themselves Uni-sex shops , meaning that they cater to women as well as men.  There are even shops that provide manicures, facial treatments and massages for their male customers.  What is this world coming to?