A tale of two barbers

Categories: uncategorized

Date: 03 February 2008 22:24:29

When I first left home, I relished the fact that I no longer had my mum suggesting I get my hair cut every couple of months, and decided to let it grow and see what happened. What happened was that it all grew into some big bowly helmet-headed mess, leaving me resembling all of the Beatles circa 1963. So after about seven months or so, I decided to get it trimmed up a bit and went looking for my local barber's; turned out it was just a few minutes from my house.

I never returned to that particular hairdresser's shop again; partly because of the crap haircut I got, but also because of the staff's attitude to the small child having his hair cut before me. He was obviously not happy, and kept wriggling and squirming, despite his mum's best efforts to keep him still. When it was all done, mother and child left the shop; following which the staff proceeded to complain about what an annoying little sod he was and how unhelpful they thought his mother had been. If I was the sort of person who feels able to tell people what I'm thinking without worrying about their reaction, I would have laid into them big time. But I'm not, so I didn't.

The next time I needed a trim, I went to a salon up the road recommended to me by my then-housemate; it's the same one I've gone back to ever since. And lo and behold, when I went in there yesterday it was all a bit deja vu. For one thing, I'm growing my hair out again, and for another there was a small child crying and dribbling at having his hair cut. But what a different attitude from the hairdresser here. He called the child by his name and spoke to him calmly, trying to reason that if the young lad kept wriggling, there was a chance he might accidentally get his ear cut off. He encouraged the boy to stay still, with dad holding his head to one side or the other, and eventually finished the cut and was really reassuring to both father and son. After they'd left, another waiting customer commented on what hard work it had looked. The hairdresser's reaction? "Nah, just another day at the office."

I was so impressed, I just wanted to mention it. Well done Frank (the encouraging hairdresser), my custom is secured with you for the foreseeable future.