Jim Gray no longer looks like the athlete he used to be. He uses a walker to get around, and his legs sometimes give him trouble. But he still remembers the days he used to strap on boxing gloves and climb into the ring for Ulster, a province of Northern Ireland.

“I fought against Germany,” Gray said.

His friend, Lenny White, listens and then jests: “Well, don’t be boxing me today if I do anything wrong."

This isn’t the first time Lenny’s heard about Jim’s boxing days. He’s heard Jim reminisce about his time in the ring many times before because Jim, who is in the early stages of dementia, tends to repeat himself.

Jim Gray, right, poses with a friend for a post-haircut picture with barber Lenny White, center. (Courtesy Lenny White and Rhonda Robinson)

The unlikely friendship between 37-year-old Lenny and 81-year-old Jim began just this year, when Jim moved to Ravara Court in Bangor, Northern Ireland. But Lenny’s work with the elderly dates back 20 years. He was a dishwasher back then at an assisted-living facility, or what the Irish and British refer to as a care home.

After his short stint at the care home, Lenny decided to pursue a more lucrative career. He worked in sales at a call center in Belfast for nearly two decades.

Still, Lenny felt dissatisfied. He wanted a job that would give him a sense of purpose.

“I knew that I was called for something, but I didn't know what," Lenny said, "and I was always searching for what do I want to be?"

As Lenny searched for his calling, he came across a course to become a barber. It piqued his interest, so he signed up. A year later, in 2016, he earned his degree.

That’s when an idea struck him. Lenny wanted to bring the same pampering elderly women in the care homes received to the men living beside them.

“I used to watch the hairdresser coming in and taking the wee ladies and going out,” he said. “And I thought, I would like to go and do a man's day.”

So he called up a local care home and asked if he could come in to help take care of the men. The staff at the care home were interested.

“So basically I'll go in, and it's a pop-up barbershop,” he said. “I'll set up the barber pole, I'll bring the jukebox for the music.”

With all these familiar touches in place, Lenny said his clients — the men living in the facilities — recognize him and his role right away.