Haircut

Originally written Wednesday, May 28th...

I've been going to the same person for haircuts since I was around three years old. Barbara. She used to have this children's hair place and I'd sit on the lion or whatever. She moved later and her new place was a salon that was mostly for adults but it had a pony chair. I used that a lot, I think, and I remember it was a big deal when I eventually moved up to the regular adult chairs.

People have made fun of me for having the same haircut forever. Back in the day, they told me that it always stayed perfect (but wind would always mess it up right away as I never put gel or spray in it) or that I looked like an anchorman.

Sometime around February 2006, I started getting some gray hairs and I've gotten some more since then. There were days when I looked like I had a ton of grays and there were days when they were barely visible (I think it had to do with randomness.. sometimes the grays would find their way to the top when I brushed and sometimes they were almost totally covered by the other brown hairs).

Barbara has moved a few times over the years. For a long time, she was about 15 minutes away (I'd take Jericho down and then turn right onto Commack and go down a little bit more). A few months ago, she moved closer, maybe only about 10-12 minutes away (just down Jericho). It was apparently a temporary location. My mom called to make an appointment for me the other week and found out that she had moved yet again, now at least 20 minutes away. That seemed to be just too far and it wasn't even nearly as direct. Maybe it wasn't worth it. So my mom canceled my appointment (which was for last Tuesday).

"I need to find a new place," I kept saying. I started talking to people. I knew about this place called Five Barbers or something on 110. Seems pretty close, maybe like 7 minutes away. Then some other people told me about this place called Supercuts in the village. A bit farther away. I kept procrastinating. But I spoke with Chris this morning and he said he found a new place on Jericho that's closer and better. I trust him. So I finally worked up the nerve to check it out (the sign outside says just "Barber Shop"). I was nervous about finding it, then walking in and announcing my presence, and then telling the person what I wanted. Yes, minor things, but I worry about them. I try to limit my public awkwardness as much as possible (with varying degrees of failure).

I was also worried about what to get. Should I use this as an opportunity to change it up? I've always thought about getting much shorter hair so that I wouldn't have to brush it. The closest I came to that was when I told Barbara to make it "extra short," which ended up being the same thing in a week anyway. And if I did want to change it, how would I tell them what to do?

So I walked in to Barber Shop and some guy was ready to take me right there. I didn't have to sign in or wait or anything. Nice. I told him I wanted it shorter. (No duh, Geoffrey.) He asked me how short. So then I told him that it was my first time there and that I wanted to try something very different but didn't know how to ask for it. He pointed to numbered photos on the wall with different looks. Hmmmm. I think it took me too long to decide but I eventually said, "Ummm, number one, maybe?" (I always speak with great confidence, of course.) He said something to the effect of, "Really?" He kept reminding me that I had a lot of hair and that it would be a big change. Yes, I said, I know. So he started with the sides and made them short but it was hard to see much of a difference. Then came the top, the main attraction. Twice he asked me, "Are you sure?" I think he was afraid of doing something that I was going to hate and being blamed for it. But he was cool about it. He's from Russia, moved when he was 7, and has been here for 13 years (that's funny, I only just now realized that he's younger than me... weird).

I think it turned out well. It's very different. It'll take time for me to get used to the new me but I'm pretty happy with it.

What a big day in my life this was.