The barbershop quartet and the art of singing are alive and kicking!  Recently, I experienced the harmony and love of a barbershop quartet, at a barbershop, Shegog’s Barbershop located in University City, Missouri.

But before I describe the music of the quartet, I have to set the scene.

It was a late warm Saturday afternoon when I decided to take my now tw0-year-old son (Christopher) to Shegog’s Barbershop to get a hair cut for his birthday party, which was the next day, Sunday.  We arrive at the appointed hour and began our wait as there were two people in line in front of us.

At this point, I know I am in trouble because an almost two- year-old has noooooo patience at all.  I thought ahead, I have the requisite toys and books, but I know they will only satisfy him a while, a very short while.

First problem, while we are waiting a gentleman, Dr. Williams comes in with White Castle.   Two double cheeseburgers, french fries and a chocolate shake.  Well, of course, Christopher decides he wants a fry or two. So he walks over to Dr. Williams and takes two fries and proclaims, “Mine” and stuffs them in his mouth and runs back to me, as if I would save him.

I apologize a thousand times and Dr. Williams accepts graciously, but Christopher keeps running to get more of Dr. Williams’ french fries when Mr. Shegog belt’s out, “Go get that boy something to eat, I’ll save your spot.”  Translation get that boy something to eat so he can leave my other customers alone.

We go to White Castle, which is a block a way and come back to the barbershop, just in time to get Christoper’s cut, as Mr. Donald vacates the chair.

Second problem kicks in, Christopher is in no mood to get his hair cut, nor sit in the barber’s chair, he is extra stubborn.

We get in the chair, Mr. Shegog starts to cut Christopher’s hair and the conversation takes a turn amongst the four of us in the shop.  The conversation turns to family in general and children specifically.

Dr. Williams talks about his two sons and his fond memories of taking them to the barbershop as young boys and as young men.  Mr. Donald discusses his two daughters and his son and how quickly they have grown up.  Mr. Shegog smiles brightly and discusses his recently married daughter and his college senior son. I hold Christoper tighter (out of love and abundance of precaution as his haircut continues), while soaking it all in and even visualizing the positive things to come for Christopher and me.

Just then all hell breaks loose, Christopher has had enough of getting his haircut.  Christopher has had enough of sitting in the chair.  Christopher has had enough of me holding him tightly, so he can safely get his hair cut.  He starts screaming at the top of his lungs, kicking and thrashing about.  Christopher was demonstrating that he was comfortably in his terrible-two’s and hell bent on getting out of the chair, despite the fact that we were only half way through his cut.  It didn’t look like we would make it to a full cut.

That’s when it hit me.  Fall back on what you know.  So I started singing, singing of all things the ABC’s.  In the past, when I would sing the ABC’s, it had calmed Olivia (Christopher’s big sister) down and brought a smile to her face.  I felt like, I had nothing to lose, so I started singing the ABC’s.

I began, ‘A, B, C, D…’ and right around ‘L’ I noticed the other three gentleman (Dr. Williams, Mr. Arnold and Mr. Shegog) in the shop were singing along with me.  We made it all the way through Z and in unison sang the chorus “Now I know my A, B, C’s …” and started again in unison all the way through the chorus.  By then Christopher had quieted and was beaming at the Shegog Barbershop Quartet who had just given him a command performance of the ABC’s, in harmony I might add.

While I suspect this performance of the Shegog Barbershop Quartet was its first and last performance, I bet the ABC’s have never ever been sung with such love and support coupled with such fond memories of years and times gone by.  Just imagine we were four unattached men who enjoying the brotherhood of Fatherhood.

While Christopher will probably not remember the Shegog Barbershop Quartet, I will and I will always thank the gentleman who cared enough and shared in a moment when I was just trying to be a good Dad.  My takeaways from the one time performance-Fatherhood is GREAT and it takes a village to raise a child!

Thanks for the read!

-The Love Guy

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