An 83-year-old Mountain Brook man who left a threatening note on the back door of a Homewood hair salon demanding the business take down its rainbow Pride flag has written a second note apologizing for his actions and donated money to Birmingham Aids Outreach.

“This experience has been humbling and has made me rethink the assumptions I have about this world,’’ James Willoughby Wood wrote in a second letter he delivered in person to Salon U manager Michael Cash at a court appearance last week. “The times have changed while I have not, however, I am now trying.”

Wood was arrested by Homewood police in August on a misdemeanor harassing communication warrant. The arrest followed the discovery of a note left in July at Salon U when owner Issam Bajalia and 11 staff members returned to Birmingham from New York City’s World Pride.

“This is not San Francisco or downtown Birmingham,” the first note said in all caps. “This is Homewood which is a religious and family city. We suggest that you remove that flag before it is too late. We are concerned citizens. Good Bye.”

A note of a different kind from Wood is now bringing healing instead of pain.

When salon employees found the first note, they took it to the Homewood Police Department as a precaution because of its threatening nature. Homewood Sgt. John Carr said detectives reviewed video surveillance from area businesses and were able to identify Wood as the suspect. He was then picked out of a photo lineup, charged and eventually turned himself in.

James W. Wood, 83, apologized in person and in a note to Salon U for a note left at the Homewood salon in July demanding the rainbow flag be removed.

Cash told AL.com Saturday he met Wood last week in Homewood Municipal Court, where he received a letter from Wood that Cash posted Friday - which was National Coming Out Day - on the salon’s Facebook page along with this comment, “There is a nobility in compassion, a beauty in empathy, a grace in forgiveness” — We thank the Homewood Police as well as the entire Homewood community for your unconditional love and support. To James, thanks for serving our country and we forgive you.”

Efforts to reach Wood for comment were not immediately successful. In the letter, Wood asked for forgiveness and described his actions as “inappropriate, meanspirited and cowardly.”

“I am an 83-year-old navy veteran who loves our country. Unfortunately, I suffer from having a big mouth and, at times, very poor judgment. During the course of my life, I have attempted to serve my nation and my neighbors faithfully and with honor,’’ Wood wrote in the letter. “I have failed to live up to the standards I set for myself.”

“In an effort of goodwill, I have made a donation to Birmingham Aids Outreach,’’ Wood wrote. “I hope this contribution leads to something positive from the mess I made.’’

Cash said Wood was very kind and apologetic during their meeting. “He said, ‘I’m sorry,’ and I said, ‘We forgive you,’’’ Cash said, adding that the criminal case is set to be dismissed if there is no other infraction in the next 90 days. “I looked in the man’s eyes and shook his hand. He’s obviously had a hard time from the fallout and when you go through something like that, it will make you think.”

“He’s a neighbor. We all act in a way sometimes that’s not neighborly,’’ Cash said, “but if you’re willing to sit down and talk and admit wrong and ask forgiveness, you will almost always receive it.”