August 14, 2003

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  An average day in the life of a hair stylist...Show up to work, chit-chat with the girls who worked before me.  Talk about anything but work. Clients come in.  Getting warmed up.  Everyday, you start fresh. There are many different types of clients...not the neat little personality trait categories that they taught us in school.  There's the simple hair-do mom, very easy going, as long as she can get it into a ponytail at the end of the cut, she's happy.  There's the "My three year old has to have perfect hair" mom.  She stands right behind you, literally causing you to trip over her feet as you work, so that she can see every little hair you cut off the childish head.  This child is, of course, bouncing all over the chair, flicking hair into his eyes, crying because he has hair in his eyes, trying to take the cape off, squirting himself with the water bottle, and generally making it impossible to do a really good hair cut.   There are the cut it so it looks good, you're the professional people.  The I don't want to look like I had a haircut people.  The haircut twice a year whether I need it or not people.  Then the after-work crowd starts coming in, and the shop is free of screaming children for most of the evening.  (MOST small children do NOT want a hair cut...there are a rare few who like it a lot.  I actually watched a little 18 month old girl fall asleep during one last week...SO cute!)

  
  

  The client from hell

  
  

  This client stumbles into the shop saying that he "just got off work this minute".  I think to myself, well, he must have been hittin' the sauce while he was still there, because he's clearly loaded.  come on back the chair, and have a seat (before you fall down, I think to myself).  He sits down.  He doesn't care how it's cut.  Except for the back, and over the ears, and this bushy part here.  And make sure the front is short enough, but not too short. Okay, we get started, and he cannot hold his head still to save his own life.   He's trying to talk to me about the economy, I can only understand about every other word, so translation is tricky.  Plus, I have to keep grabbing him by the ears and putting his head back where I can reach it.  While trimming the hair around one ear with the edgers, he does one of his quick bob and slide moves, and blam!  A huge line carved right into the hair above his ear.  I stand back and sigh.  He doesn't notice because he's too busy talking to me about his ex-wife and how he should have been a better husband, blah, blah, blah.  The slurring is getting worse.  I try to blend it in as best I can, so that it will, at least, grow back somewhat normally.  Continue cut, while smiling and nodding in the appropriate places. Agree with everything he says.  don't want to piss him off...you never know when the drunk is going to turn on you.  Cut is finished, and he's at the counter.  He can't figure out his own change.  He doesn't know he's supposed to leave the store now.  He keeps talking.  I stand there smiling like a lunatic, wishing that a family of 10 would come in right now, so I wouldn't have to talk to him anymore.  Finally, he says goodnight and goes to his CAR AND DRIVES AWAY.  I take down the license plate number and call the local police, wondering if they'll actually pick him up.   

  
  

  End of the night, nothing out of the ordinary.  Of course some night's there are the People Who Like To Piss You Off.  They call 1/2 an hour before closing and ask if there is still time for a cut.  yes? Okay, we'll be there in 5 minutes.  Twenty minutes later, we're closing out the til and cleaning, because there hasn't been anyone in the store in an hour.  They show up, family of 4, 10 minutes before close and want you to cheerfully stay until an HOUR past the time you're supposed to be off work, cutting their hair.  AND they are completely obnoxious about the details.  They have to look in the style books for pictures first. They're not sure if they want bangs or not.  They want a change, but they're afraid to go much shorter than it already is.  *silent screaming in my head*

  
  

  Of course there are also the clients that I wish needed a hair cut every day.  They are a delight to talk to, and they appreciate your service. They are pleasant to work with, and even if they're not sure what they want when they come in, they are willing to work with me to get something that is nice looking.  They remember me and ask about my son by name. They tell me about their own kids, or grand kids, and they are so proud of them!  They tell me funny stories about the day, or week.  Tell me about the vacation they took since the last haircut. The philosophize.  They are sympathetic.  They are human. 

  
  

  I really do like my job.  The few freaks that you run into no matter what profession you're in just make it more interesting.  Breaks the day up a little, you know? 

  • 1:13 pm
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