The following “letter” is part of the continuing series from the unpublished novel by James Garrett, “Benicia Letters Once More”. He does not plan to publish the book but instead is choosing to share the letters with the readers of the Benicia Herald. The letters continue the storyline of Garrett’s first novel “Benicia and Letters of Love”. Each “letter” tells of love in one of its many forms from a separate point of view. Benicia is represented prominently in the letters because of Garrett’s deep fondness for the city of Benicia. He hopes readers see themselves or others they know in the letters because the concept of “Love” is universal.

Hello Jim,
There are memories about growing up here in Benicia I love. I’m sure you have yours and maybe some of them are the same as mine. We’re in the same general age group.
One memory I have is going to Al Caballero’s barber shop for my haircuts starting in about the seventh grade. For a lot of us that became a tradition. Every other week or so, or before a big dance or special date, those of us who went to that barber shop regularly saw some of the same people almost every time.
The barber shop was the first place where I read a Police Gazette magazine. I never thought it was great, but it was a little interesting.
It was the first place I ever got my neck shaved.
You could sit in the barber’s chair and watch as some of Benicia for that day and time passed by. I honestly believe people driving by looked into the barber shop to see who was there as well as the people in the barber shop looked to see who was looking in.
Once I saw a guy getting shaved. The barber made a slight error by nicking the guy with his razor. The guy he was shaving must have thought he was going to bleed to death the way he acted. You couldn’t see any blood and I was sitting about six feet away. The guy in the chair passed out after he looked in the mirror. The barber shook him and the guy came back to reality, but it was funny the way he reacted to a little blood.
I didn’t get shaved until I was on R and R, Rest and Recreation, in Olongapo, Philippines when I was in the service. Then it was just something to do to pass some time and get the experience. I had a lot of experiences in the military.
I have no idea how much a haircut costs today. Alice, my wife, has cut my hair for decades. I figure at 40 years and a haircut a month at maybe $10 a visit, counting tip, Alice and I must have saved about $4,800. It takes about the same amount of time for Alice to cut my hair, but a lot less drops to the floor. She does a great job and I’d rather have her doing it than the best professional barber in the world. The fringe benefits are outstanding.
The barber shop of my youth is long gone, but the memories of the visits there remain. It was all part of growth.
Richie

James Garrett is a lifelong resident of Benicia and a former teacher at Benicia High School. He is the author of the following novels: “Benicia and Letters of Love,” “The Mansion Stories,” “Chief Salt,” and “One Great Season, 9-0!” He also compiled a three-volume work titled “The Golden Era: Benicia High School Football, The 1948 through 1960 Seasons, “A” History with Comments.”
He can be contacted at jgstoriesnpoetry@aol.com.

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