The Old Barber Shops ?
Main Street:
In the late 1940's in a small North Dakota town - The Barber was also the man who picked up the mail from the Train at the Depot.
When the train whistle announced it's arrival, the barber set down his razor and would leave some farmer covered up in the barber's
sheet, sitting in the chair, half-shaven - As the barber would run outside and down the street, round the corner to an old shed, open the two
swing doors, and crank up an old Ford Model T with no roof or windows, with a wooden flat bed behind the cab,
and go pick up the mail from the Depot.
Kitty corner, from the Model T shed was an old Blacksmith Shop. One old hardworking Blacksmith. Across from him was an
old stable. I asked what the stable was for - In town? I was told that in the winter they kept an old horse in the stable. When
it got too cold and the Model T wouldn't start. They'd harness the horse and hitch him to a wagon that was also in the stable -
And go get the mail.
Across Main Street, from the barber shop. was a Restaurant, whose owner, also wore a white apron. He was also the town Post Master.
When the Mail Train whistle blew - You'd see the restaurant owner run next door into the Post Office as he'd go unlock the back doors
to receive the mail from the depot. Every site mentioned here is about a stones' throw from each other,
I often had dreams about my town throughout the passing decades. I once dreamed that old Hotel across the from the depot was all
dilapidated, foliage overgrown, windows boarded up or missing. But some years after, the dream, I drove through the town and the structure looked fit.
- Made me feel good.
But some years later, I traversed through the town once again. The old Hotel looked like it did when I first dreamed it,
The depot's still there - I don't think trains stop there anymore, and probably haven't in a long time. But there are Grain Elevators there -
So there has to be Trains.
I think that old Depot is now a Museum ~ to honor the legacy of Peggy Lee.
