Time for a Haircut (Ballinger, Texas)

Ross needed a haircut, but he had a problem - he would have to break in a new barber.  Eddie had cut Ross’ hair for many many years, but Eddie had passed away a week earlier..

There’s not a lot of barbers to pick from in Ballinger, Texas.  Eddie had run his barber shop since 1964, but Sarah arrived from Odessa last December, making Ballinger a two-shop town - at least for awhile.

(Be sure to click on each photo - you will see a larger version of the picture.)

Not that Ross minded having a woman for his barber - he just wanted a good hair cut.  Sarah had been  cutting hair for almost forty years - and Ross had nothing to worry about.  Hers is a nice comfortable place - and it is undoubtedly a barber shop.

Ross sat in the chair as the place began to fill up with other customers.  Most conversations began with “How much rain did you get at your place?” and Sarah chatted with each of them.  A smile and a “I’ll be right with you” greeted the new comers.  The barber shop may have been new, but all the customers were old friends.

As with all good barbers, Sarah pays attention to beards and mustaches too.  Sarah asked if the  customer wanted his mustache trimmed by merely cocking her head and waving the clippers, and he responded with a nod of the head.  Who says you have to use words to talk?

As the morning wore on, the shop became hotter - the air conditioner was out.  By mid-afternoon, the heat of a west Texas day was too much.  Sarah called it a day, left a sign on the door and went home.  All that has changed in Ballinger is the name of the barber - her shop is the new gathering place to swap news.