Leonard Nimoy hailed from Boston’s West End shtel. His Russian father cut hair in Mattapan Square. Tired of giving us a buzz-cut my father drove my older brother and me to the Terminal Barber Shop next to the terminus of the trolley line. I can’t recall any other barber along Blue Hill Avenue.
A native of Maine m father believed in high and tight.
His instructions to the barber were the same.
Once my old man left the establishment on River Street the barber asked, “How you want it?”
“Like Bob Dylan.”
The singer had ended the 1950s with his hit BLOWIN’ IN THE WIND.
“Gotcha.”
The year was 1963.
The barber knew his clientele.
He never mentioned having a son in the theater.
In 1966 he starred in STAR TREK as the Vulcan science officer to James T Kirk.
Leonard Nimoy never had a Boston accent.
His Vulcan gesture for ‘live long and prosper’ was based on how the kohanim or Jewish priests holding their hand when giving blessings.
Dif Tor Heh Smusma
Spock was our hero.
Logic over emotion.
When he died, I broke into tears.
Like my mossaich had passed into the other world.
Trekkies loved Spock.
He transcended TV and made us believe in Space.
