Hair-Raising Tales

Hair is one of our most important attributes.

We comb it, brush it, wash it, color it, braid it, and often try to replace it, but it never is the same as it was in our childhoods.

And Rochdale had plenty of places that you could go for the latest mod hairstyle or 'fro.

My friends and I generally went to the barber shop in the first mall.

I remember it had mirrors and more mirrors on the wall, and if you looked at it just right, you could see the reflection of the mirror that was behind you in the mirror in front of you, making for an illusion of a scene that would never end.

And I remember two barbers in particular: Hyman and Miss Elsie.

Hyman cut my hair on a number of occasions.

He would hold your head literally in his hand from the top, as it you were in a vice.

He held it so tight that if you moved, your felt as if your neck would snap.

I know I had Miss Elsie maybe once or twice.

She was the only female barber that I can recall there, and I think she was specifically brought in to cater to those kids who wanted the latest afro hairstyle.

The other barbers were all old and old school, and I don't know if they could handle such a style.

I know that for the ladies, there was a beauty parlor in the first mall that my mom went to.

When I was little, I would accompany her there on occasion, and the place reeked of hair spray, probably Adorn.

I would leave there with her, and couldn't wait for the next shower.

There were also some places outside the development, but those are the two hair salons that I remember the most, err, fondly.

Maybe it was the Rochdale air, but today, I wouldn't mind Hyman or Miss Elsie working on my hair, or even having it done in the beauty parlor ...

That's if I had any hair to work with.

I am pretty bald on the top, and I swear that Hyman's vice grip had a lot to do with this.

Of course, the nasal ingestion of the hair spray vapors could have done it, but one thing I know for sure is that Miss Elsie had nothing to do with it at all.

Anyway, you can talk about your own hair-raising stories at the Reunion.

Hair, Hair, to a great Reunion!