My Italian barber is past age 80 and named " Sal ". Sal now works part time at " Jim' Hair Salon "on Reservoir Ave. in Cranston- not far from the Burger King on Park Ave. I think my younger brother John was a regular customer of retiring Tony. These old Italian immigrant family barbers hear a lot of tales and often tell them. That Knightsville neighborhood near St. Mary's Church is the quintessential Italian-American neighborhood. Even the road is divided by those red, white, and green Italian flag colors.
My Italian immigrant grandmother, living on Federal Hill for 50 years, would -affectionately I am sure - put down my " shoe maker " grandfather: " Hey, Shoemaker, I should've married The Barber ! ".
When my grandfather, Ludovico, lost his own shoe repair shop he found work at UNCAS Jewelry - but was scolded for being " too slow ".
Those old City of Providence Directories( 1922- 1965 ) still found in the reference area of the Providence Public Library can refresh memories about the Old Neighborhood. My grandparents lived at 62 Gesler St.
At Pops's funeral ( from Nardollilo to nearby St. Ann's Cemetery ) my brother Mike and I suddenly had a moment of hilarious, comic relief , doubt : Was Pop ( Domenico ) -just possibly- il barbiere 's ragazzo ?
Another Italian barber memory : a guy known as " Sanitary Joe " misunderstood my kid brother Mike's hair cutting instructions and Mike showed up at an Italian wedding with an awful looking crew cut- just a Marine Corps boot camp style shaved head.
I can still smell Sanitary Joe's Bay Rum- a bit of olfactory pleasantness in his dingy joint
A quartet of Italian barbers had a shop in Washington Park Square in Providence back in the 1950s One had a reputation as " a bookie ". Another said that my uncle Nicholas -fluent in the Italian language - was a " fascist ". The boss of the place was Al . Sitting in the barber chair I could see my Broad Street School and Collier's bakery .
I visit my elderly -but still good- barber Sal only four times a year: in summer, fall, winter, spring. But no social security increases next year ( and soon no more Senior Bus Pass ) . So just one hair cut for me next year- just before Easter. Sorry about that, Sal !
My Italian immigrant grandmother, living on Federal Hill for 50 years, would -affectionately I am sure - put down my " shoe maker " grandfather: " Hey, Shoemaker, I should've married The Barber ! ".
When my grandfather, Ludovico, lost his own shoe repair shop he found work at UNCAS Jewelry - but was scolded for being " too slow ".
Those old City of Providence Directories( 1922- 1965 ) still found in the reference area of the Providence Public Library can refresh memories about the Old Neighborhood. My grandparents lived at 62 Gesler St.
At Pops's funeral ( from Nardollilo to nearby St. Ann's Cemetery ) my brother Mike and I suddenly had a moment of hilarious, comic relief , doubt : Was Pop ( Domenico ) -just possibly- il barbiere 's ragazzo ?
Another Italian barber memory : a guy known as " Sanitary Joe " misunderstood my kid brother Mike's hair cutting instructions and Mike showed up at an Italian wedding with an awful looking crew cut- just a Marine Corps boot camp style shaved head.
I can still smell Sanitary Joe's Bay Rum- a bit of olfactory pleasantness in his dingy joint
A quartet of Italian barbers had a shop in Washington Park Square in Providence back in the 1950s One had a reputation as " a bookie ". Another said that my uncle Nicholas -fluent in the Italian language - was a " fascist ". The boss of the place was Al . Sitting in the barber chair I could see my Broad Street School and Collier's bakery .
I visit my elderly -but still good- barber Sal only four times a year: in summer, fall, winter, spring. But no social security increases next year ( and soon no more Senior Bus Pass ) . So just one hair cut for me next year- just before Easter. Sorry about that, Sal !
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| Tony's Barber Shop in Cranston |
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