So. Yesterday… being close to the first of the month… was filled with the banal yet essential trivialities of life. Bills were paid. I completed the bi-monthly commissary and beer run with minimal drama and maximum efficiency. I got my quarterly haircut. So on and so forth.
The usual, customary, and reasonable Happy Hour was my reward for completing the necessary tasks but with the advent of warm weather we’re deprived of our soundtrack, seeing as how we keep El Casa Móvil De Pennington buttoned up tight when the AC is running. Our neighbors doubtlessly appreciate that… even though I try to keep the music at a level that’s sufficient for my ears only. We do live in close quarters here in Beautiful La Hacienda Trailer Park, though.
Just as a short digression… I’ve also wondered a bit this morning about the navigation skills of the master and crew of the ship… and just how they managed to end a two week voyage across the Mediterranean Sea and Atlantic Ocean so as to arrive in New York in the morning daylight… not to mention to facilitate the disembarking process in a manner that would allow all aboard to either make other transportation connections or get to their hotels in a timely manner. A small miracle that was.
The usual, customary, and reasonable Happy Hour was my reward for completing the necessary tasks but with the advent of warm weather we’re deprived of our soundtrack, seeing as how we keep El Casa Móvil De Pennington buttoned up tight when the AC is running. Our neighbors doubtlessly appreciate that… even though I try to keep the music at a level that’s sufficient for my ears only. We do live in close quarters here in Beautiful La Hacienda Trailer Park, though.
―:☺:―
I always get my hair cut out at the base barbershop (of late… more on that below), which tends to be more economical than the civilian shops in the area. There is a downside, though, as employee turnover is high out at the base and I’ve never quite understood why that is. I have theories… well, one theory. Most of the barbers, and they are ALL female, are probably married to GIs… and when the GIs leave, so does the help. I don’t like that. I prefer to go to the same person each and every time for my four-times-a-year barbering experience. Build a relationship, and all that. But if that’s what I TRULY wanted, I’d go local… as the barbers in the old shop I patronized a few years back were steady in their employment… being owner-operated.
Still and even… I wish there were establishments that provided services such as this in my neck o’ the woods. I’d pay good money for this…seeing as how it only happens four times a year:
We then walked down an alley and into a barber shop. There waiting for us was an old man, the barber, and two young Japanese maidens, all three smiling broadly. The old man waved me into one of the barber chairs, and I dutifully sat. The old man reclined the barber chair and I stretched out, fully supine. One of the girls then proceeded to take off my shoes and socks, while the other fetched a large handful of steaming towels from a container. She artfully wrapped my entire head in those towels, leaving a small space for me to breathe through. All the while this is going on, the other girl is washing my feet. After a few minutes, the second girl unwraps my face and the barber proceeds to shave me. The first girl is still working on my feet, giving me a pedicure and ending up with a prolonged and wonderful foot massage. After the barber finished shaving me I was escorted to a wash stand where the first girl washed and towel-dried my hair. Then it was back to the barber chair for the actual haircut while the two girls gave me a manicure. The whole experience ended with both girls massaging my entire upper body. I walked out of that place feeling like a million bucks, and I’ve never had a “haircut” like that, ever again.
Ah… but that was in Japan
―:☺:―
Blog-Bud Kris is back from her cruise vacation and has posted interesting narrative and pics of the experience. Some of the pics she’s posted are of the Statue of Liberty in New York
Seeing the Statue of Liberty
The family spent five consecutive years overseas when I was a child... with no trips home... and we returned to the US Istanbul New York
So... I know exactly where you're coming from with this.
S’true, that. I’ve spent some time today remembering that experience… of standing on the ship’s rail in the morning’s summer sunshine, watching the coastline get steadily larger… from the thinnest of thin lines on the horizon to the point where it began to fill our view, further enlarging to the point where one could make out buildings and such… and then my Mom’s hand gripping mine so hard it hurt when Lady Liberty came into glorious full view. It was then I was going to say “Mom!” when I looked over and saw the tears streaming down her face and my father’s arm around her shoulder. Things just don’t get any more poignant than that, Gentle Reader. I was 13 years old at the time.
Just as a short digression… I’ve also wondered a bit this morning about the navigation skills of the master and crew of the ship… and just how they managed to end a two week voyage across the Mediterranean Sea and Atlantic Ocean so as to arrive in New York in the morning daylight… not to mention to facilitate the disembarking process in a manner that would allow all aboard to either make other transportation connections or get to their hotels in a timely manner. A small miracle that was.But… let us return to our reminiscing… Five years is a long time to be away from home. Our consecutive tours in Paris Ankara , Turkey
Another memory I have of our return is what Mom ordered for dinner our first night home. She instructed the waiter in the restaurant to cut a full head of lettuce into quarters and bring her a bowl FULL of Thousand Island dressing. And that was IT… all she had for dinner, period, full-stop. I remember that very well, as it became part of the family lore… a tale told and retold throughout the remainder of my childhood whenever the subject of homecomings came up.
I suppose you hadda be there. I'm glad I was.
Great story, again.
ReplyDeleteSpeaking of Asian Barber Shops; In Taiwan, the more barber poles stacked outside the door, the more services.
I was scared to death about going in one, so I never bothered.
My Japanese haircuts were done on base.
Haircuts, nothing like a haircut in Japan. Got one every week on base so as to keep myself in Jarhead regulation (my hair grows think and fast) while in Okinawa in ‘82/’83. Came with a nice shoulder message after the hot shaving cream, straight razor treatment around the ears and back of the neck. Finally found a place a few years ago that also does this, an old Italian guy named Rocky.
ReplyDeleteWalked with my mom and siblings to the top of the ole Lady Liberty when I was about 8 or 9 (early 70’s), right up into her crown. What a view, still remember it to this day.
Buck, I've made the voyage across the Atlantic 5-times (two more times via Mil-Air) on two different Aircraft Carriers (CVA-62, the USS Independence and the CVN-69 the USS D.D. Eisenhower) and can attest to the feelings you get when the ship comes out of deep water on the morning of port arrival. For me it was always into the Chesapeake to gain access to Naval Base Norfolk and the icon there – none other than a huge Oil Drilling Platform about 15-miles off shore. If we were early, we would circle the thing, the high tide being necessary for the ‘big’ ship to get up the river to Pier #12. All the “small boy’s” that had been our escort across the big water would go right in, leaving us to stew out there by that Drilling platform. That was also when we would see the Submarine (and the only time, I might add) that was assigned to escort us as well, it would pop-up and sail straight in, flags waving. The flight deck would be crowded with people, some in the uniform of the day (man the rails duty) others just to see the US ground for the first time since however long we had been gone (the cruise in 1977 it was almost 11 months, thank you crew of the USS Saratoga which failed to come out and relive us on station per schedule). You could get the whole crew up there and I am sure you could go inside the ship and count the people still at watch and compute the absolute minimum number of people needed to run the ship. The air wing aircraft would have flown off days before, the longer ranged aircraft first, which was my Squadron. The mighty war Hoover would leave first almost as soon as we got past the Azores. Hummers would be next followed by the Intruders/Prowlers/Corsairs and the fighters last. Well, actually the helicopters would be last but our helo squadron was based out of Jacksonville Florida and via the Great Circle steering that ocean going navigating is, we would be in range for them before the mighty F-4 was close enough to Norfolk for the flight. All us ground pounders had to ride the ship in and then offload all our gear (tools, safes, desks, tables, chains, test equipment, you name it) and pack it all into semi trailers which would haul it all down to Jacksonville for us. We would be bused over to the Naval Air Station Air Terminal and charter flights would be waiting for us (well sometimes) to make the flight back to Florida. Once I had my car there and after dusting it off, two other sailors and I made the drive west. One getting out in Memphis, the other outside of Oklahoma City after which I made the 12 hours or so drive to ABQ.
ReplyDeleteI manned the rails only twice, once when I knew my bride would be waiting pier side (having spent our first anniversary over the phone with her in PA and me in Naples Italy), she was 4 months preggers so there was motivation to get into the uniform of the day. The second was when I was getting out of the Navy and wanted off the ship to get on Terminal Leave as quickly as possible. It’s been 26 years since then but I remember it like it was yesterday.
BT: Jimmy T sends.
Wow on the barber shop experience!
ReplyDeleteIf you ever are in the need of a haircut off-base, might I suggest Herbs Barbershop on S. Main st in Pville. Herb isn't there anymore, but I'm assuming the name hasn't changed. A lady named Yanti runs it, sweet gal. The chairs are old style and mint green, and she has some old fashion (or old fashion to me) pump of shaving cream she dispenses for your neck. And if I'm not mistaken, I think she charges $7. I could be wrong though, since I cut Jeff and the boys' hair myself most of the time.
Thanx for the link Buck. I can only imagine your experience and that of your mom. The Statue of Liberty is the physical manifestation of everything that is beautiful about our country. Seeing it after a 5 year absence had to be beyond moving.
ReplyDeleteHell, just sailing past it on the way to vacation has been awe-inspiring.
Wish I'd met your mom -- she sounds a lot like my own. I'm kinda proud of 13 year-old Buck, too. I takes a special lad to recognize a poignant moment of that magnitude at that age and let his mom off the hook.
ReplyDeleteWhen my girls and I cruised to the Statue of Liberty island with my now-deceased best friend, one of the pictures I took showed the Twin Towers in the background.
Some things change, some remain the same. The speed at which they're moving these days is, however, a lilttle disturbing.
I love it when you post childhood memories. Your mother's lettuce story reminded me of my grandfather who often sliced lettuce onto plates and then put some sort of homemade Thousand Island dressing over it. He had worked at the Palmer House in Chicago and supposedly that was a signature salad.
ReplyDeleteJimmy T, thanks for sharing your memories, too.
Having grown up in my mom's beauty shop, I love to get my hair cut or nails done. Most of the women who do manicures and pedicures are Vietnamese and do an excellent job massaging feet, legs, and arms.
Oh, BagBlog...I love having my hands massaged. A current splurge is the warm parrafin treatment for hands which includes a massage and they fit in as I'm getting a hair trim which I need and I'm scheduling right now!
ReplyDeleteWill also say that haircuts/trims "on the road" have often been interesting both as to the results and the conversations.
Yes! I had a similar barbering experience in Thailand. Not quite as exotic, but still. Massages, manicure, pedicure, shave, haircut, the works for about $4 American. Heavenly stuff.
ReplyDeleteDarryl and tim: I got most of my haircuts on base while in Japan, as well... it was more convenient. But every once in a while...
ReplyDeleteJimmy: Once again, I have nothing but respect for you guys who went to sea, and the guys who still do that thing. It's a WAY different sort of military experience. But... you knew that. :D
Jenny: Thanks for the tip! I might check Yanti out the next time I need a haircut.
Kris: Lady Liberty is indeed a moving experience, no matter what your viewing circumstances are.
Moogie: Mom was a good woman. She had her flaws, but we ALL do. I agree with you on the speed of change these days. The quality ain't so hot, either.
Lou: Mom did that lettuce wedge/Thousand Island dressing thing as a side salad often (maybe it was a 50s thing?). I used to do that, too, in the way-back... but am more into broad leaf lettuce these days.
Ann: Haircuts on the road are probably more "interesting" for women than men! :D
Jim: I had similar experiences in Thailand, as well. The range of available services there is quite interesting. :D
Ann, having listened to beauty shop conversation most of my life, I bet on the road haircuts are quite interesting. To this day, my hairdresser mother will tell me something outrageous. When I ask her where she heard it, she will reply, "The beauty shop." I roll my eyes.
ReplyDeletere the interesting... yes, both things overheard and things passed on... And I am "guilty" of telling my hair person all of the details of my life.
ReplyDeleteKind of off the subject, but the other place for good "stories" on the road is the local coffee shop, particularly if you can sit next to the regulars who gather every day. Everything from gossip to the state of the union is likely to be overheard.