By Edward Master
One of the things I miss about not owning/driving an automobile is a limited chances for "outside" activities. Though, I really don't miss the responsibilities of the automobile world. Along with my wife, I was a movie goer.
But in all reality, we gave up on regular 'flick time' as my wife's health dissipated. There were quite a few years when we saw a high percentage of the top-10/oscar-nominated films for the past year. I remember taking a "snow day" to see the "Terminator" movie. My wife, when she was teaching, called them mental health days.
The only time I may have been a little "carried away/obsessed" about seeing a particular movie was a trip into South Philadelphia to see "Pumping Iron 2--The Women" in a limited run at a theater noted for "arty-type" films. I'm guessing there was a 'special meal' involved after our viewing. I don't think "Pumping Iron" (the first one) required a special trip to a special theater.
One event that has me puzzled during this winter season is the farm show in Harrisburg. I understand that other than live stock feeding it's basically a bit of dead time as far as planting and crop care. I guess the farm is free to do the farm show thing. What happens if we have weather like a blizzard though? Try going around the reservoir near State College on route 322 this time of year. No, thank you. Been there, done that!
I guess I'm a no-show again with the farm show butter sculpture. I assume the sculpture is made from butter more like the Land-O-Lakes stuff than oleo/margarine.
My Grandma Johnson (my mom's step-mother) always put real butter on the table as I think that's the only type that Grandpa Johnson would eat. The real butter was a small treat on visits to Kittanning.
Another hi-lite(?) of this year's farm show is the mullet contest. I was channel surfing and caught a snippet, probably on the the PCN channel, of adults and children, each groomed with a mullet hairstyle. I can, fortunately, state that I have never sported the mullet. A stylist once did extend the hair going down my neck, but eventually that was rectified.
That stylist (Joyce) was a Punxy beauty school grad, had her own shop, and cut a few of the guys' hair who played on the ball team I was on in Indiana County. Joyce eventually split from her hubbie and took off to Florida with her daughter. That team may have had at least three mullets on the field.
I eventually moved to the old reliable flattop in hairstyle and stayed as such for a respectful time in Grove City, until my barber closed up shop and he moved to Florida. That's when I took matters into my own hands, bought electric barber shears, and decided to go buzzcut on my own. I remain at the mercy of my own hands, and eyes, since.
My haircuts have been a journey and that journey has come full cycle. I probably began with home-site haircuts as buzzers when I was quite young. The first real haircut I received was from a local fellow named Jum Gardner. I seem to recall as much pulling out hair from dull snippers as cutting. I got a side part on the left-hand side.
Once I got to elementary school in St. Pete, I could walk up town to Lefty Nevel's shop at the corner across the street from the Pines Inn and local post office. The fire station sits there now, along with an old jail (for show). Lefty had a long bench with lots of outdated mags on the south side of his shoppe. He put green stuff on my new "do" when he was done. It may have been called "Clubman." I think the haircut cost 50 cents.
The walk to Lefty's lasted until grade six when I was in Foxburg elementary. My Grandpa Master (E.B.) either took me to Lefty's or we began the trip to Lamartine and Charlie Chadman's. I renewed my love affair with the flattop for junior high school, probably until ninth grade. I stayed with the part for marriage and eventually went "all natural." My hair was naturally wavy/curly so the 'fro style' came as a natural.
Now I'm buzzed almost out of necessity as I'm really getting thin on top.
Speaking of sports
At last the agony of defeat(?) is over, in football at least for a few months anyhow. Penguins angst is still alive and well as much as the power play has lost its power. Beat em Bucs. How long has it been since the Pirates have had a real chance at taking over Pittsburgh pro sports. Those Buc owners better put up or shut up and hope the Lily Tomlin football fate doesn't come to haunt the North Side Notch as it does the South.