You Know You Are Old When

[Fuddyduddy1952]

“You know you are old when”:

You can remember when local railroad tracks had active trains running on them, but now they’re abandoned and overgrown with 30’ tall junk trees growing out of them.

View attachment 4475877

Look for date nails. They'll be about a foot inside of track into the ties. People collect them. Roughly head is coat button size and they're about 2.5" long.

 

[Jstpssng]

My father went to the same barber shop all of his life. As the Alzheimer's was starting to take it's toll, one day he went for a haircut. He was gone so long that my mother was getting worried but finally he walked through the door.
"Where's your truck?" she asked?
He'd forgotten that he drove.

I'll probably go to Hell for laughing about it but you have to see some humor in the situation.

As an aside; I went to the same barber until high school. One day he started talking about retireing as soon as he could, saying that he didn't want to end up lile my grandfather, who died of a heart attack at 63 just as he was getting ready to retire.

I just looked him up; Harold retired in 2013 after 50 years of haircuts.

 

[masseyrider]

There was a local barber, Angelo, who continued cutting hair into his 80s. The last number of years he was getting dialysis so he'd take those mornings off and come in for the afternoon.
Highest he ever got was $10 a cut.
It was his social circle. He didn't get many young guys in but the old farts kept coming until they dropped off.
His shop was the place to come and meet up with the guys and shoot the crap. Some guys would come in to get a cut even when they didn't need it to pass the time.
Angelo could have given them a cut in 2 minutes with their bald heads but he paced it to give the guys their chair and gossip time. Shaved the neck and sideburns, even if they were crooked, slapped on some after shave and swept you off with a big brush.
"Who'sa next?"

 

[deserteagle71]

There was a local barber, Angelo, who continued cutting hair into his 80s. The last number of years he was getting dialysis so he'd take those mornings off and come in for the afternoon.
Highest he ever got was $10 a cut.
It was his social circle. He didn't get many young guys in but the old farts kept coming until they dropped off.
His shop was the place to come and meet up with the guys and shoot the crap. Some guys would come in to get a cut even when they didn't need it to pass the time.
Angelo could have given them a cut in 2 minutes with their bald heads but he paced it to give the guys their chair and gossip time. Shaved the neck and sideburns, even if they were crooked, slapped on some after shave and swept you off with a big brush.
"Who'sa next?"

Same with the local barber shop I used to go to until a couple years ago. Seems like every guy in town went there - it was where you could actually talk to the mayor, the police chief, etc. and swap tall tales. Two barbers, brothers, worked that shop as long as I can remember. Then one passed away (old age); the other worked about another year and sold the shop. Now it is owned by a young woman and you have to "make an appointment" to get your hair cut. I went once and no more. No camaraderie at all. With the little bit of fringe I have left around my ears these days I do it all myself with my razor.

 

[ultrarunner]

True enough… the right Barber with decades in the same shop knows everyone in town…

Mine in his mid 80’s is slowing down but still a great source of information and referrals and most of the police and fire get haircuts there.

When mom’s memory was going I asked if he would cut her hair… a true gentleman and mom was happy… he said right off he doesn’t do the fancy stuff but mom really looked forward to seeing him and he said just come when you can…

Until Danny… mom was the only one that had ever cut my hair as well as later dads and did brothers until they moved…

The box of professional clippers from the early 60’s still had the price on the box of $19.50…

Dad said that could buy a lot of haircuts but his barber friend got it for us.

19.50 for over 50 years of family haircuts probably the deal of the century…

 

[WinterDeere]

…you have to "make an appointment" to get your hair cut. I went once and no more. No camaraderie at all.

Different strokes for different folks. I won’t even consider going to any place where I can’t make an appointment. I have better things to do than wait 45 minutes for a haircut.

There are some good barber shops around here that I just won’t go to, because they don’t take appointments, and their wait times are long. This usually leaves me going to over-priced salons full of middle-aged women, but I’m in and out in 20 minutes, versus wasting half my Saturday morning at a barber shop.

I don’t need to see or talk to our mayor or police chief, I see them at church.

 

[masseyrider]

Same with the local barber shop I used to go to until a couple years ago. Seems like every guy in town went there - it was where you could actually talk to the mayor, the police chief, etc. and swap tall tales. Two barbers, brothers, worked that shop as long as I can remember. Then one passed away (old age); the other worked about another year and sold the shop. Now it is owned by a young woman and you have to "make an appointment" to get your hair cut. I went once and no more. No camaraderie at all. With the little bit of fringe I have left around my ears these days I do it all myself with my razor.

No appointments with Angelo. You walked in and even if his back was to you he told you to, " have a seat."
Sometimes I'd just look in to see how busy it was and many times came back the next day when there wasn't a full waiting area.
You didn't go on a rainy day because all the farmers would be in.

 

[NoTrespassing]

Dad still has his barber's license at age 83. I guess he's had it for 63 years. He probably cuts less than 20 haircuts per year including one friend and his own barber, and my son and me occasionally. He used to have to get TB tested to qualify for a barber license.

When Dad had his shop, he also had a "card room" where the locals would come and play poker. It had several big round oak tables and a bar with a cash register.

 

[masseyrider]

Dad still has his barber's license at age 83. I guess he's had it for 63 years. He probably cuts less than 20 haircuts per year including one friend and his own barber, and my son and me occasionally. He used to have to get TB tested to qualify for a barber license.

When Dad had his shop, he also had a "card room" where the locals would come and play poker. It had several big round oak tables and a bar with a cash register.

Probably made more in the "card room" than cutting hair.

 

[NoTrespassing]

Probably made more in the "card room" than cutting hair.

Funny thing, he told me that he kept track of his winnings for a whole year one time. By the end of the year he said he was $10 ahead. LOL, He never took a cut of the winnings, it was just a place for the locals to hang out.