This is a true story. To think that nothing interesting happens at a haircut salon...well, think again.
I arrive at the salon and I pretty much knew what was going to be when I walked in. The owner was already busy cutting and her "brand new assistant" was late arriving, and there was a guy already seated, waiting his turn. The owner said it should only take a few minutes. You have heard this line before, I am sure.
The owner's other helper, Susan was already busy doing a perm on a permanent customer of hers with silver hair. Susan's jaw opened way up in a surprised look. I had not seen her for a few months, but she had cut my hair several times before.
"Adrian! I thought you were dead!"
"Huh? Really?"
"Yeah! I saw this obituary in the local paper and the person who had died was named Adrian, and I was so shocked and upset because I thought it was you!"
"Well, I do not recall having died yet, but then weirder things have happened, and so maybe I am! Are you sure the obituary was for me?"
"What is your last name?"
"Chudleigh."
"No, that was not it, sorry, so it must have been for someone else!"
"Well, I plan to be around for quite awhile yet! It is still good to see you again! Tell you what: when I do die, I will let you know right away, okay?"
Not every day that you meet someone who thinks you are dead and so I am sure I will remind her in the future every time I come in that I am still alive!
Then this young lady walks in...oh wait, is this her assistant? Omigosh, she looks so young! She must have been fresh from school, looked quite meek, and never said a peep! She had clothing on that was not that suitable and had a metal ring in her nose and metal on her lip. She did not look that sure of herself. She looked us over and probably thought: doI really have to cut hair for these OLD MEN? I am sure she was in this business to do hair styling for the gorgeous, her dream job!
She got our names mixed up at the counter, then asked the other guy if he was ready. He promptly said, "No, that's okay. I can wait for the owner!"
Now that was a real confidence booster! She showed complete lack if it now! Then she meekly swung her eyes onto me and probably thought, oh gawd, what will HE say now? What should I say to her, I thought? I really wanted the owner or Susan to cut my hair, as they knew me very well, but I really should give her the chance and I did not want to wait forever, and so I put on a face and told her, "I think you will do a really, really good job with my hair! I know you can do it!"
Did I really say that? She gave me a feeble smile and so I asked the another guy who actually was also ahead of me if it was okay to move up and he graciously said, "Yeah sure...I am in no hurry...go ahead...I can wait...no big deal...go for it...that will be fine...it's okay...please do...GO!"
"Uh...okay, thanks then!"
The last time a young lady cut my hair, I had to go to another salon to get it fixed! Surely this time will be different! When she asked what and how, I told her, "A number four on the side, number three on the back, not too short here, not too long there as hair sticks up if too short..."
I noticed her eyes were rolling around in the back of her head, and so I decided to hold off with much more talk.
"...off the collar. Does that sound okay to you?"
"Yes, should be fine," was her quiet response and so she started.
You know how hair stylists talk and talk and talk when they are working? Well, she was saying nothing! She looked like she was taking her job seriously, a good sign, but I still felt quite uneasy with what she was doing! I asked questions and learned she was one year out of school already, she had her certificate, and now had one month of experience! Then an inner voice said to me, she needs to concentrate on what she is doing! Be quiet! She took her time and seemed to be quite meticulous? When it came time to buzz my neck to get rid of the fuzz, she buzzed me all the way down to my shoulder blades! No one has ever done that to me before! I did not know I had any hair on my back? I took it in and said calmly, "Yeah, I seem to be growing hair in some weird places now as opposed to my head!"
The owner in the next chair piped up, "Yeah, you can blame me for that because I cut your hair too short once and now it is coming up elsewhere! Silly me! Haw, haw!" Actually that was almost quite funny.
When officially done, she brought up a mirror so I could examine my hair, but her aim was not that accurate and she was quite quick with the opportunity, but I bravely said,"Hey, alright!"
She sighed heavily. How could I judge her method not knowing the eventual outcome, but I still hoped for the best. I then turned to the owner and said (with my thumb up), "She did a really good job!"
The young one lit up like a Christmas tree and she made my day with that smile! She needed my confidence booster to try again on the next "victim". When I got home, I took out the scissors to make a couple of minor adjustments, nothing much, and I know it will grow back, and I cannot see the back of my head...but oh well.