Wednesday, July 20, 2011

You Get what you pay for.


My Mother use to cut my hair, she might as well of put a large Tupperware bowl on my head and trimmed around it. I would show you the proof but I burned all of the pictures. After putting my foot down my Father took me one of the local barbers. He was 90 and half blind, after almost cutting off my ear twice my Father agreed that maybe he should retire and we could try the other barber. Don Kellogg was a retired army barber from the way far right. He had various political cartoons hanging on the wall next to a loaded weapon. There were also six photos of haircuts you could choose from, never mind you always got a modified "High n Tight" or a "Flat Top". I think he flipped a coin in his head to pick for you.

After a couple of years of that my Mom took me to the "Beauty Nook" where most of the local "Ladies" would get their hairs did and an earful of gossip. Maybe this is where I became gay? I always pretended to not be listening to all of the salacious dirt while I rummaged through the pick a prize toy chest that was filled with treasures from the orient(Cha Cha China). I'm not sure why we stopped going there, I can only assume my Mom was the topic of a round of gossip.

The next haunt was Harumi's Salon and nail, nail was written Very small as I recall she hated doing them. I got my haircuts there up through high school, I loved it. Hair wash, massage and she always knew how I liked it. I never had to say a word.

After college I found a girl that I grew up with had gone through the Gene Juarez academy of Beauty and she would cut my hair for a twenty and it was always perfect! I got spoiled not having to explain to someone how to cut my hair. I mean isn't that their job? shouldn't they be able to look at my head and just know what will look best? I moved off of the Island and lost my regular Stylist. I spent the next five years bouncing from shop to shop looking for a happy ending with no luck.

Three years ago I moved to Denver, I have tried no less than twenty five different people. Floyd's has done better than most and they give a great back massage but I have become kind a cheapskate when it comes to a haircut. Why pay $20 to have your hair cut????

Well tonight I have proved myself wrong again. I went to Cost Cutters. I have been there before and was treated well and walked out not hating my profile. But tonight, I walked in @ 27 minutes to closing and was greeted by Sharpie eyebrow #1 & #2. #1 asked me if I could pay ahead of time so #2 could count out the till, Mkayyyy? I payed and gave her a $5 tip. I was then told to gos sit over there in the first chair. I walked over and picked up the hair poncho to be greated by the previous clients dreads and things all over the chair. I swept them off had a seat and waited. A couple minutes later she returned annoyed and asked me what I wanted. I told her and she started digging through her drawers and then her purse to find the guard for the clippers, it was right next to her Marb 100 ultralights and her silver and turquoise encrusted Bic lighter. She buzzed away and then stopped and handed me a mirror so I could see the back, then handed me the clippers to hold so she could go talk to her baby daddy who called because he wanted to know what was for dinner. When she returned she asked me what I thought............I asked "About my Hair"? I pointed out the waves and divets in the sides of head. She strapped the hair poncho back on and proceeded to give me a sloppy "high n tight". She pulled off the poncho before I could say another word. I asked if I could have a couple of dollars back from the tip and she politely apologized, "The till is all put away". Of course it is. I looked at the clock and it was still ten minutes to closing. She told me to have a great night, so I will do just that.

I think I'll just go back and see Floyd. ;)