As must be expected, the issue of the 39 piercing all over Erisman's body had to be addressed. "Aside from my ears," she begins, "I got my first one when I was 13. This one," she says, fingering the ring through her right nostril. "Some stupid boys I hung out with were like, 'you won't do it,' and I did. I used a safety pin and did it myself." She blames rebellion for the first few, but that has since worn off. She is now heavily into the history and significance of piercings. "Aside from Native American stuff, piercing has only existed in America for like 50 or 60 years," she explains. Erisman hypothesizes that "It stared as an underground gay thing."

All of her piercings have some sort of significance. "This one," pointing to the bar between her eyes, "is the same thing New Guinea tribesmen get after having killed in battle." She quickly cleared up the issue as to whether she felt any connection to the tribe, "No [I don't feel any connection], but I like to know where these things originated." At this point, it's a spiritual thing, a sort of cleansing for Erisman. "When I feel dirty inside, I'll go get another tattoo or piercing." Some "Mark a change in my life." She wants to make certain that everyone understands that she's not trying to fake anything, like so many latter-day piercers--she doesn't get pierced because she read about in some magazine or saw it on TV. She's "into facts, not trends." She urges anyone considering getting anything pierced to check out the place first--"Massachusetts has few laws regulating [piercing]." She's more than willing to advise anyone thinking about taking the plunge, as long as the questions aren't stupid, "Stupid questions get stupid answers."

When asked if she has any advice for Harvard students, she smiles. "You all take life so seriously. You need to lighten up." Apparently people come in and are so worked up over whatever is on their minds that they can't handle her humor. "You have to be able to laugh at yourself," she insists. But is quick to add that "you're all interesting. Smart." Yet, regardless of the intelligence of the Harvard student body, few get homework done before 12 a.m. So, up late? Hungry? Looking for some entertaining if not very deep conversation? You know where to find it--your local Store 24.

THAT BARBER THAT WORKS AT LA FLAMME

What do many Harvard students, past and present, have in common, besides potentially astronomical SAT scores, the absence of a social life and an intense hatred of all things pertaining to Yale? Many of them get their hair cut by George Papalimberis, owner of the LaFlamme Barber Shop. Established in 1898, it's been a part of the Harvard community even longer than John Kenneth Galbraith.

Papalimberis hasn't been there that long, though--only since 1984, when he bought the store from an Italian family that owned it previously. They in turn, bought it from the store's founder and namesake, a mysterious French Canadian named Arthur LaFlamme. Yes, the name is real.

Papalimberis hails from Greece, as the several pictures of his native homeland on the walls of the shop would suggest. He emigrated to Cambridge when he was 30 years old in 1965, for the "same reason every immigrant comes here: to become rich," Papalimberis explains. "I haven't gotten there yet," he adds, and shares a chuckle with the customer in the chair. For his first three months in America, he worked in a factory making storm windows; he quickly realized that he dreamt of better things and switched to what has been his life's work ever since.

Papalimberis isn't modest about his popularity with the students. He confidently claims that more than 50 percent of the students, including the graduate schools, frequent his shop. "I've been going to LaFlamme ever since a barber--I won't say from where--nearly van Gogh-ed my ear freshman year," says Kwak. "My favorite day of the week is the day I go to see George. You come out looking like a million bucks, and you pay only $10." Another student claims that Papalimberis is too good for him. "Basically, I have little or no respect for my head," says the student. "So, if my blockmate doesn't cut my hair for free, I just go straight to the [barbers] in the back [of the shop]. I don't want to wait in the special line for the two old maestros in the front." These "two old maestros" are Papalimberis and his brother-in-law, Bill. Papalimberis claims to get a large portion of famous Harvard professors, too; but when asked for names he doesn't want to play favorites. "I'm going to offend the others," he explains.

Papalimberis isn't too shy to talk about other famous clientele of his, though. Two pictures of Papalimberis with former Massachusetts governor and Democratic presidential candidate Michael Dukakis adorn the walls of the shop. He claims he's been the Duke's barber for 20 years. "He comes in every three weeks, once a month," the barber matter-of-factly states. Even when Dukakis was running for president he couldn't stand to have his locks trimmed by anyone else except Papalimberis. When asked if Dukakis would give Papalimberis an update on the campaign, Papalimberis replied, "well, I knew it myself, what was going on. In some cases I knew before he knew, because I hear from the people." Papalimberis even once gave the hapless candidate debating tips, urging him to be tougher with George Bush. "The American people want a tough guy, not set-back guys," Papalimberis told him. Too bad for the Duke that he didn't listen.

Other famous regular customers that reap the magic of Papalimberis's scissors are Yo-Yo Ma '76 and former Kennedy School professor and Labor Secretary Robert B. Reich. Papalimberis didn't disclose whether Reich uses the booster seat.

Papalimberis is grateful to the Harvard students, not only for providing him with a huge clientele base, but also for being nice, decent people with whom doing business is a pleasure. He unequivocally denies that any unruly and disrespectful students frequent his store, and has only good words for his customers. "They're good people, good customers, good kids. I see them come in like kids and finish and live like grown-up men, ready to face the world," Papalimberis states.

Papalimberis employs seven other barbers in LaFlamme, and he points out that many customers each have their own favorite barber. One thing Harvard students have never seen behind the chair, though, is another Harvard student or former Harvard student. One of Papalimberis's unfulfilled desires is to someday have a Crimson man or woman wielding the razor and scissors. "I get business from Harvard; I'd like if I can help somebody pay tuition," Papalimberis says. Harvard students should sharpen their scissors; the barber says that "if someone knows how to cut hair, and he's got a license in Massachusetts, I'll hire him."

THAT HARVARD YARD MAIL CENTER GUY

Many students may remember the face of the Harvard Yard Mailing Center, Sam McClary Jr., from their first year. Even if they don't, chances are he remembers them: McClary recognized this writer and remembered his name and four-year-old HYMC box number. He always has a flair for entertaining students. "He told me he'd gone to China," says Anne H. Charity '98. "I was buying my sourcebook for Chinese Bx, and he said to me, 'ni hao ma (hello).'"

McClary was born and raised in Boston and has worked for Harvard in some capacity for almost all of his adult life. "I think I had one job before I came here," he says, but he can't even remember what it is. He came to Harvard in 1961 and worked as a technician in the Physics Department. He moved to work at the Science Center in 1973. At that time it was only a shipping and receiving area for the Faculty and various administration buildings.