Tuesday, July 26, 2005

Shear Anxiety

I always looked forward to seeing him. He was the best at what he did. And one day, he just left. I had no idea where he disappeared to or who got to have him. The very thought made me jealous. I then started seeing another guy. He is also good at what he does. But somehow it just wasn't the same.

Barbers are funny that way. (And yes, you can all breathe a sigh of relief.) You develop a relationship with him and if you leave him, things can become quite awkward. You try avoiding that person if you see him on the street. But in this last case, I was the one left sitting in the barber's chair: Mike left last November to help his friend, an old neighborhood cutter named Mr. Duvall--a man who could have served as the inspiration for Cedric the Entertainer in Barbershop. Nevertheless, Mike has returned to my current cuttery. I saw him this morning while my new barber was trimming away. It was all very cordial but Mike knew what he had done and how he had lost me. I am also certain my new barber could tell I thought about switching. But, as we all know, it is almost impossible to make "the switch," even with barbers.

3 comments:

Ralphie said...

How does it feel to know that your life has already been portrayed in a Seinfeld episode?

Anonymous said...

I've never had a barber leave me, but have left many barbers behind. There's no way to put a finger on the actual reasons why, they just are.

I'm on record breaking stretch right now though, 9 years with the same barber -- but then, she's a blonde...

Anonymous said...

I have to drive from Annapolis MD to Ridgewood NJ to see my barber. I've tried to convince him to relocate to no avail.