St. in Beverly, MA. Back then, I was still working, and I went in to
get a "regular" man's haircut. There were three older men waiting
who had us all laughing, and it felt so good to laugh.
I could tell they were good friends because they could poke fun at, and
laugh with, each other. The shop was filled with mirrors. "I look like
a pear, but you - you look like turnip!" "Oh, well look at me, I'm a
*#+@** pineapple!" The walls shook with the chuckles and yuk yuks
as these good friends went on chasing away the demons of old age.
I left Johnny's Barber Shop thinking how great it would be if my
buddies were jokesters like that.
Later, after a difficult psych breakdown, I was in a rehab program. I
was feeling so sad, trying to grab hold of the idea that my whole life
was out of my control, and that it would change forever. All the
things I held close to my heart would have to take second place to my
new illness, and the top priority would be my med schedules, coping
with the side effects and doctors appointments. My new illness would
grow into my world like the wrinkles on the faces of old men.
In that rehab program, I met a guy who also had psych problems, and
we became friends. To make our situation more bearable, I
remembered the Barber Shop and the power of that laughter. His last
name sort of rhymed with tomato and I began to call him The Tomato.
I was tall and thin, and so he called me The Carrot. It helped us to
chase away the demons of illness with humor.
I drew these cartoons for you to enjoy, and hope you will laugh with
Carrot and Tomato, and become our old pals. Laughter is the best
medicine!
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