The Men of Brewster Place

The “heartbeat” of Brewster Place is the barbershop known as “Max’s place.” Even though there’s no explicit rule banning women, only men congregate at the shop. Ben goes once a week, even if he doesn’t need a haircut, to talk with the other men. The “barbershop politicians” have three subjects on their agenda: “white men, black men, and women” (158). They complain about how black men get blamed for white men’s failures and discuss how women are a total mystery.

One of the only things to slow the men’s talk was Greasy, a man who had lost his job, family, and mind to a crack addiction. Max cut his hair for free. Some days, Greasy became agitated, pounding on his chest and shouting, “I am a man” (160). On other days, he responded to every comment directed at him by saying, “I’m trying.” Max always served Greasy, believing that “every man is entitled to a shave and a haircut” (161), but he tried to do the job quickly before Greasy got upset.

Ben reflects that the chairs in Max’s barbershop are full of “sad stories,” not just Greasy’s.