Old School Barber shops

I really miss the old school barber shops, something straight out of the 1950's where you come in sit down and your barber starts cutting your hair without even asking your take on the subject. Instead he talks about some local jab, like the high school sports scene, or something more personal like this years hunting season. I remember where I used to get my hair cut as a kid, by Gene in Hayden Lake, Idaho. Old fashioned barber pole outside, a couple chairs inside hardly ever vacant, and a couple old couches surrounded by Time magazines and Outdoor Life. Even though it wasn't that long ago, there were still ash trays freshly used. No crap though, no People or any other tabloid like magazine. I used to like getting a "Flat top", and if it was summer Dad would let me and my brothers get "racing stripes" on the sides. I still remember the black and white picture that used to hang on the wall above the chair. It was a photo of Gene when he was young sitting on an old "Chopper" with long forks and custom handle bars. He looked kinda like James Dean, slick dark hair, white t-shirt with his smokes rolled in one sleeve, and a rebel smile. I used to study the way he would sharpen his razor on the strip that hung from the chair. I can still remember the feel of the hot foam on the back of my neck, and the way I nervously anticipated the first stroke of the freshly edged razor. Gene is gone now along with that barber shop, and slowly but surely the "flat top" is on its way too. Some things really were better then.