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My girlfriend, during my last few years of high school, who had an eye for all things fashionable, was visiting a hair salon regularly. Her salon of choice was, Marty’s Styling Salon on 6th Avenue in Tacoma, Washington. She spoke highly of Marty and his wife Barbara and really enjoyed her time with them. I remember being impressed, and a bit envious of her enthusiasm when she spoke of her visits to their salon. I had zero ability to relate to her comments about 
Marty and Barbara. In 1957/58 it was impossible for me to imagine a man involved in the business of women’s hair. My perception was dominated by the stereotypical information applied to “male hairdressers”. My interest in meeting Marty and Barbara was, “Sure, someday that might be fun.” Honestly, I was really attracted and curious simply based on the unusual enthusiasm my girlfriend continued to exude when sharing information about her visits. My curiosity soon gained enough momentum and I accepted the invitation to meet Marty and Barbara.
I had never been in a salon or beauty parlor before...my only point of reference was at our home when my Mother would give a neighbor or a friend a permanent wave. I tried to get as much advanced notice as possible when these events were scheduled to occur, so I could avoid the offensive fragrance that seemed to permeate the entire house. On those occasions when I was unable to exit in time, I must say, aside from the unpleasant fragrance, the experience generated an atmosphere of laughter and of joy. I was never really close enough to the conversation to hear anything specific, however, my impression left me feeling very encouraged that friendship of that nature existed.
As we approached 6th Avenue, I noticed a bit of a flutter in my chest confirming my excitement, not really sure why. Upon entering the salon I was immediately aware of the décor. It seemed warm in a very stylized manner with organization that completed a sense of business, yet nicely balanced with an inviting feeling. It was small; I would guess less than one thousand square feet. As we entered the space there was a reception desk just to the left, it was taller than the height of your average table and created a bit of separation from the main room; then once fully inside, from what seemed “out of nowhere”, Marty appeared. Not what I expected, of course I had no idea what to expect but 
this guy was about six feet tall and really well dressed. When we were introduced I noticed a genuineness that in retrospect seemed to be outside of the normal effort that I had grown to associate with a handshake. It was not the usual bone crunching experience of someone trying to intimidate or perhaps convince you of some Herculean power. I am only now able to put this into words; it was like the handshake of a genuine greeting void of any intention to influence beyond a greeting. It left a lasting impression, one that distinguished a gap which I was unable to understand until much later.
This experience took up residence in some remote area in my brain, which what now can only be explained as “The Void”. Allowing the absence of judgement to unfold overtime. I am thankful that the hair industry chose me and I am honored to have the opportunity to share this information. Marty and Barbara Gosselin remain very important figures in the hair design industry in the Pacific Northwest and beyond.
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