Have you ever noticed how many “firsts” there are in life? You know … like the first time you rode the big yellow bus to school for first grade … or maybe your first date … your first communion … your first job … or your first child.
Well, having just relocated from southeastern Michigan to the “midlands” area of England, I’m noticing some of my “firsts” in my new home … new country … new … just about everything! Last year when I was here for a couple of weeks, I had my first driving experience … you know … from the right side of the car, but the left side of the road! And on the very first day of my driving experience, my first ticket!!! (And my first one ever for a PARKING violation! Now SPEEDING … that’s a different story! But I digress … )
The picture above and this one are of The Woodman, where I am becoming a “regular” customer for meals. In the United Kingdom, local pubs are traditionally the social center, and certainly provide landmarks from which all the locals provide directions for newbees like me! And since I’m not big on cooking a meal for myself each evening, I usually walk the half-mile to The Woodman, which houses a Two For One restaurant (a chain here in Great Britain).
The ladies who work there are getting used to me arriving at sometime after 7:00p … or 8:00p … for my evening meal … and are even predicting my order (I am a creature of habit). In fact, the sign on the front of the hostess stand “Please wait here to be seated” is becoming less applicable to their new American “regular,” which has given way to “Oh, you can sit wherever you’d like!”
Today, I had my first HAIRCUT in Great Britain. Now that sounds like a normal, routine part of life, right? But not to those of us who have travelled a lot or have ever relocated to a new city or state or country! It’s a nerve-racking experience, and we WORRY about how a “stranger” is going to cut our hair. Ray Stevens captured the essence of this fear in his “Barbershop” song years ago! I have seen this little shop every day as I have walked the half mile to a restaurant where I’m becoming a regular (another story for another blog) or to the small grocery store or to the ATM. I’ve wondered if it was a good shop with technicians who would leave me “looking like Dale” when they were finished or not.
Well, today I made my entrance … no customers … only two barbers … Would this be two choices of who would “butcher” me hair? The young man seemed to step back, deferring to the young woman who worked in the chair across from him. I sat in her chair and asked, “Do either of you by chance know how to do the Roffler sculture cut?” (Bob Klankey at The Man’s World in Paducah (KY) would have been proud of me for that!) Neither of them had a clue what I was talking about, but asked questions about that particular style. This opened a dialogue that would allow three strangers to become excited about meeting new friends!
Much of our conversation centered around cultural trends, with questions flying in both directions! They were shocked (and reacted quite humorously when I told them) that I had just moved from the United States to England. Of course, they were curious as to WHY I had made such a move … which opened doors of new conversation into subjects like the youth culture here in the UK, how children and teenagers are brought up here, value systems, and … yep … you guessed it … Christianity!
Although it was sad to me when they brought up such “news items” as the radical “Baptist” from Topeka (KS) – Fred Phelps, it did take our conversation to a deeper, more serious time, and afforded me the opportunity to explain several things about differing value systems. They also shared keen insights into the youth culture – and they should know! My new friend Chris, the 24-year-old young man working in the Dino Hair Studio here in Bilbrook, and his co-worker Eleanor , the 28-year-old mother of two (and no, she is not Eleanor Rigby … I asked!) are both questioning what is going on in their world in central England.
In a couple of weeks, when it’s time to go get the hair cut again, I can hardly wait … not just for the haircut, but for the opportunity to continue developing a friendship with two wonderful barbers … Chris and Eleanor. And they’re going to allow me to take them to dinner … on my dime … but at a “nicer restaurant down one of the little lanes,” and they will ride with me … so that I won’t get lost!
Do you pray? If so, would you pray that my life will be a blessing to these two wonderful new friends that I have made? Thanks!
