Today I visited my hairstylist in the epicenter of hip, also known as Williamsburg, Brooklyn. I used to live in Williamsburg, but in the last couple of years, I rarely go there except to get my hair cut. I'm on my second stylist in the hood—this one at an unlikely (for me) setting called "Hair Metal." They wear black, play Black Sabbath, and have a very messy bathroom. The first time I went in, at the suggestion of a friend, I had not thought about what the "metal" in "Hair Metal" was all about and had trouble keeping my jaw off the floor as I worried about what kind of cut and color I might walk out with. But as it turns out Christy understands my hair quite well (it's just like hers) and gave me a very good cut.
So I went back. A good haircut is totally worth sitting through two hours of my least favorite kind of music. Christy and I had warmed up to each other even more by this time and we traded stories about her dream of moving to Charleston, South Carolina and about the fact that my name is the second most popular dog name in the world.
As we reviewed the holidays, it came out that she had stayed home on New Year's Eve. "I go out EVERY other night, so I don't need to go out when the rest of the world is." I nodded in understanding and asked her where she usually goes out—is it usually in Williamsburg? "ALWAYS. ALWAYS in Williamsburg." I was impressed by her fierce loyalty to her hood, which sure is something when you're going out EVERY night. There was definitely a hint of "why would I go anywhere else?" in her voice. So perhaps that's not loyalty. Perhaps it's provincialism. In any case, the enthusiasm and commitment with which she seems to engage with her home turf was admirable. Even if some day she wants that home turf to become Charleston, South Carolina.
It made me think about LIVING where one LIVES. Really LIVING. LIVE it up. Let LIVE. About being so excited and focused on the place you're in that you ask, "why go anywhere else?" And with that, I settled into the sweet sounds of Judas Priest, letting the contentment wash over me.
Am with you on this, Mag, even if it's good to get away now and then, as to up in Wisconsin the other day, and over to BROOKLYN in a few weeks. Making the most of what you have, however: good idea. Reminds me of Booker T. Washington in Up From Slavery, which I won't go into here.
Posted by: Blithe Spirit | February 28, 2007 at 03:03 PM