And my goal for today, trivial, to be sure, is to get a haircut. Remove the blonde, a shaving, hair cropped close, I'm due, could do it myself but I'd like just a little bit of style.
In the NE, one of the factory discount hair salons. Waiting, 2 "stylists", neither even remotely stylish but I'm not asking for much, just trim me past the blonde...
Watching, waiting...
The first, a plump brunette, finishes her customer first. There's someone ahead of me, a 50, 60 something elderly lady. The other stylist finishes shortly thereafter. I'm hoping for the first stylist, the second has so little style that - as modest as my expectations are - I'm worried they'll be thwarted.
My suspicions are correct.
After 10 minutes fussing at the till, billing previous clients and preparing for new, it's my turn.
"Phone Number?" She asks.
I give her phone number, wrong, at first, and then correct. She's not figuring it out. I repeat it. "Have you been here before?"
"Yes."
She looks confused. I don't want her to cut my hair, I have 0 expectations, want nothing, but for her even this is too much.
- "Is your name Julia?"
I leave.
Rest. Breathe.
I try another bulk stylist. I miss the guy, guys, who just asked you what you wanted, cut your hair. It shouldn't be this complex. I feel bad for leaving but she was an idiot.
But I'm in the NE, and the selection isn't getting better.
2 hairstylists, both on their ass watching TV. One, Asian, the right side of her face swollen as though due to a toothache, perhaps 50 years old. "Phone Number?" she begins, and although (or perhaps because) I've not been here before we get through this without difficulty.
She asks me what I want. "To remove the blonde" I explain, the rest she can do as she chooses.
She's competent, but she's not removing the blonde, she's copying the haircut I had, only shorter, I'm left with blonde tips.
I can't be bothered to explain again.
It crosses my mind halfway through that the swollen face might be a consequence of a beating by her husband. But there's not way to broach this discreetly. In any event it's discomfiting to bring it up, I leave it. I don't know the causes, consequences, of her swollen face, only that it's hurt me as much to see it as it must be for her to experience it.
Next barber, some 7 or 8 weeks hence, will be the Greek or the Lebanese.They at least speak English.