I go to Ultracuts because it’s close to my house, and it’s cheap. Now haircutting salons are a very complex ecosystem.
Two years ago there was a lady who cut my hair and she did an ‘okay’ job. It wasn’t terrible, but I thought about switching. But because Ultracuts is so close to my house and cheap, I didn’t want to go anywhere else.
So dare I switch hairdressers in the same studio? I did dare. And I’m still dealing with the guilt today.
I moved on to hairdresser number 2 who did a better job. It kind of felt wrong, especially when number 1 would look over at me, and we would make eye contact all weird through like 4 mirrors. But nevertheless I had moved on, and she has to deal with that.
The news hit me like a ton of bricks when I heard number 2 had moved! She was gone from Winnipeg just like that.
But I had a backup plan. There was this other hairdresser who looked pretty young and hip, and I noticed people leaving her all the time with good-looking hair. But we’re talking about salon suicide – switching three times inside the same building!
But I went for it – I was mad with power! And she was even BETTER! Suddenly it was okay that number 2 moved away.
But number 3’s belly started to get bigger, and I started to get worried. And then BOOM.
Mat-leave takes another one.
This is not looking good, there are only four hairdressers, and I’ve already been through three of them, pretty quickly.
So out of desperation, I schedule a haircut with none other than, NUMBER 1. Boy was that awkward. All those looks across the salon, all that nervous small talk. And now I was back.
And then it’s the whole thing where we both pretend nothing ever happened…right. And she asks me what I want, like she hasn’t been looking over for two years…right.
So I’m back with number 1, and the universe is balanced out again. I guess she does an ‘okay’ job…
It was a confusing roller coaster of emotions for two years, but eventually I learned a very important lesson: if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.
Picture Copyright Ultracuts 2010.
Jon Chapman, you brighten my day! Your stories are awesome!
ReplyDeleteTwo of my past hairdressers have fallen victim to mat leave. My current one is pretty cool, but constantly searching for new ones is tiring.
ReplyDeleteHahaha... you gotta love the roller coaster of emotions! I've been through the same situation where I switched hairdressers and the other would kind of look and smile. My guilt would just inflate! I also sometimes go from one salon to another... depending which is avaliable or which I am closer to at the time. Then it's just akward when they're looking at your hair and they know your last cut wasn't theirs!
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