Barber Shop Banter

Laughter spilled out of the small room my husband called his barber shop, something I’d gotten used to over the last year an a half.  As a freelance barber, it’s become normal to have the background chatter of clients, whilst they have their hair cut and beards trimmed to perfection.

It took a while for me to get accustomed to my precious home being overrun by hair and chatter, which believe me the former gets EVERYWHERE, and the sometimes constant whine of the clippers.  But now, it’s part of my routine, along with keeping them in supply of tea, coffee, and cold towels, when not at my day job.  And from a writer’s perspective, the material I can gather from the ramblings of men, from their topics to personalities can only help me to gain an insight into the workings of the alien male mind.

Something I have learnt is that men don’t just talk about women, sex and football.  A one to one barber shop environment, where the client receives a special V.I.P service, without a shop of impatient onlookers awaiting their turn, has allowed men to talk about whatever troubles them.  From relationships to their health, it really is true that the barber becomes a confident and friend.  I’ve even known the experience of a hot towel shave or beard trim to be so relaxing for the clients that they fall asleep, such is the extent of trust that’s created:

The other fact I’ve learnt is that men can be as big on gossip as us women can be, they do like a good scandal, and the flow of conversation really does go from football to politics.  It’s a perfect location to pick up ideas and find inspiration for a writer, and although once dubious about my home invasion I now see it as a positive.

Title Photo by Tim Mossholder on Unsplash