by Pa Rock
Local Yokel
Like most American males of a certain age, I grew up getting my hair cut in barber shops, places that were primarily staffed by men who were called "barbers." But the years go by and times change - and today real "barber shops" are a rarity. Many of us have been forced to seek other places for haircuts - and sometimes that involves going into places that were once referred to as "beauty shops," or places where women went to get their cut, curled, and dyed. They were staffed by "beauty operators." My mother was a beauty operator, and my sister was as well for a few years.
Now, at least in my little town, places for hair care have merged into shops that are staffed by "stylists" of both genders - and cater to customers of both genders.
The place where I go every few weeks to have my gray locks trimmed has three stylists - an older man in my age range who owns the shop, a young man who has just gotten his cosmetology license, and a lady whose age is somewhere between the other two. All three stylists cut the hair of men and women, but the primary clientele seems to be more mature ladies who come in weekly to have their hairdos freshened up - or for permanents. But I have also seen high school boys getting their hair cut there as well. The fellow who owns the shop is very popular with the older ladies and will go to their homes and drive them to the shop for appointments if the weather is inclement.
West Plains is that type of place.
Today is Dolly Parton's birthday - she is seventy-four - which brings me to the point of this piece.
A few weeks ago I stopped by the haircut place to set an appointment to get my hair cut. When I entered the shop, the two male stylists were there without any customers, so the older one sat me down for an immediate cut, and the younger one - one of my neighbors - moved in closer to visit.
The older clipper asked me if I had any trips planned, and I mentioned that I was going to Kansas City in April to see Cher. I had attended a concert from her previous "farewell" tour back at the same venue in 2014, and he and I had talked extensively about that show at the time.
The three of us talked about Cher's age (currently 73), her career, and her propensity for farewell tours. The upcoming one will be at least her third. When we had talked our way through the Cher experience, I mentioned that Tina Turner had recently turned eighty - and we took a few turns at talking about her. After Tina, the subject somehow got around to Dolly Parton. (It turns out the young stylist is a big Dolly fan.)
I told the stylists that I had seen Dolly and Porter (Wagoner) at the Shrine Mosque in Springfield, Missouri, back in the sixties. Not to be outdone by my shameless boasting, the older stylist said that he had seen Dolly on the public square in West Plains back in the sixties - singing atop a hay wagon. She had been with Porter that time, too!
(The late Porter Wagoner was a native of West Plains, Missouri, and our main drag is "Porter Wagoner Boulevard.)
(You did know that Whitney Houston's monster hit, "I Will Always Love You." was written by Dolly Parton - and she wrote it for Porter Wagoner? Well, now you do!)
Happy birthday, Dolly. If you would ever like to play an encore performance here in West Plains, we'll have a hay wagon waiting for you! And while you're here, I know a great place where you can get your wigs freshened up!
West Plains has it all!
Local Yokel
Like most American males of a certain age, I grew up getting my hair cut in barber shops, places that were primarily staffed by men who were called "barbers." But the years go by and times change - and today real "barber shops" are a rarity. Many of us have been forced to seek other places for haircuts - and sometimes that involves going into places that were once referred to as "beauty shops," or places where women went to get their cut, curled, and dyed. They were staffed by "beauty operators." My mother was a beauty operator, and my sister was as well for a few years.
Now, at least in my little town, places for hair care have merged into shops that are staffed by "stylists" of both genders - and cater to customers of both genders.
The place where I go every few weeks to have my gray locks trimmed has three stylists - an older man in my age range who owns the shop, a young man who has just gotten his cosmetology license, and a lady whose age is somewhere between the other two. All three stylists cut the hair of men and women, but the primary clientele seems to be more mature ladies who come in weekly to have their hairdos freshened up - or for permanents. But I have also seen high school boys getting their hair cut there as well. The fellow who owns the shop is very popular with the older ladies and will go to their homes and drive them to the shop for appointments if the weather is inclement.
West Plains is that type of place.
Today is Dolly Parton's birthday - she is seventy-four - which brings me to the point of this piece.
A few weeks ago I stopped by the haircut place to set an appointment to get my hair cut. When I entered the shop, the two male stylists were there without any customers, so the older one sat me down for an immediate cut, and the younger one - one of my neighbors - moved in closer to visit.
The older clipper asked me if I had any trips planned, and I mentioned that I was going to Kansas City in April to see Cher. I had attended a concert from her previous "farewell" tour back at the same venue in 2014, and he and I had talked extensively about that show at the time.
The three of us talked about Cher's age (currently 73), her career, and her propensity for farewell tours. The upcoming one will be at least her third. When we had talked our way through the Cher experience, I mentioned that Tina Turner had recently turned eighty - and we took a few turns at talking about her. After Tina, the subject somehow got around to Dolly Parton. (It turns out the young stylist is a big Dolly fan.)
I told the stylists that I had seen Dolly and Porter (Wagoner) at the Shrine Mosque in Springfield, Missouri, back in the sixties. Not to be outdone by my shameless boasting, the older stylist said that he had seen Dolly on the public square in West Plains back in the sixties - singing atop a hay wagon. She had been with Porter that time, too!
(The late Porter Wagoner was a native of West Plains, Missouri, and our main drag is "Porter Wagoner Boulevard.)
(You did know that Whitney Houston's monster hit, "I Will Always Love You." was written by Dolly Parton - and she wrote it for Porter Wagoner? Well, now you do!)
Happy birthday, Dolly. If you would ever like to play an encore performance here in West Plains, we'll have a hay wagon waiting for you! And while you're here, I know a great place where you can get your wigs freshened up!
West Plains has it all!
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