Hair

Today I found a little time to get a much-needed haircut. The problem I've faced recently is this: Do I go back to the cheap and familiar hair place where half of my haircuts have been mediocre or bad? Or branch out to a (probably) more expensive salon where I will be out of my comfort zone and have no assurance of satisfaction? After going back and forth on this for the last few haircuts and never getting the courage to choose another shop, I called 'A Shear Encounter II' and set up an appointment this morning during a cancelled class.

After walking in and being introduced to my new stylist, my mind was put to ease as she acknowledged the difficulties my hair presents in cutting. We talked for a while about what would work what wouldn't, and why, and then she took me to the sinks at the back to get my shampooing on. Instead of going back to my chair for the remainder of the cut, she asked me to follow her towards a side room. I followed, dumbly.

She asked me to sit for a moment in what looked like a feminine dentist chair. I acquiesced, waiting for her to explain what was about to happen. Pulling out a tiny paintbrush she declared, "I'm going to wax your eyebrows. Don't worry, you'll still look like a man."

I am accustomed to my bushy, overgrown eyebrows. People have occasionally suggested I tweeze or wax my eyebrows, but I have never relented because I haven't trusted what the result would be. I figured, "If not now, when?" So, after confirming that she wasn't charging me extra to tame my brow, I assented.

She leapt (figuratively) to work...

"That wasn't so bad was it?" It actually wasn't terrible. She was done in less than a minute.

The cut went smoothly, and I left, happy to have a relatively inexpensive haircut that I was fully pleased with (perhaps the first time since moving here I have really felt satisfied). As I drove back to campus, I looked in the rearview mirror and saw the red skin on my forehead beaming brazenly for all to see.

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This only made it slightly embarrassing to explain when I got to my lab a few minutes later. "So I was looking for a new place to get my hair cut and next thing I know..."