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.