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Haircuts and Hot Rod

ScottSecor
ScottSecor Member Posts: 851
Here's the backstory, it's a long winded but bear with me here. On March 10th or thereabouts I learned that barbershops and haircut places were going to be closed indefinitely due to Covid19. Since I was already overdue for a haircut and my hair grows like a weed, there was a sense of urgency. My normal hair cutter had closed a week prior, so there was no way of going there. Lucky for me, less than a mile from my house there is "Haircut Row." On this stretch of road , there are at least six haircut places. I decided to try a new place, hoping that one of them was still open. I came upon a barber shop that recently changed hands with a neon sign that read "open." I immediately pulled over, but I was reluctant to get out the car and go inside. This establishment was formally one of the places you would go to get what people like me that were born in the 1960's would call a buzz cut. I am not opposed to buzz cuts, but this shop was known to specialize in buzz cuts with a twist. Driving on my way home I would regularly see patrons walking out the front door with names ‘carved’ into the sides of their heads. I would read the letters "Go Giants, or NY Yankees and sometimes Jeter." I enjoy sports too, but I just wasn't ready to have my favorite professional golfer's name written into the side of my head.

After pausing for a minute, I could not help but notice the lack of traffic whizzing by me, the amount of businesses that closed down like the hardware store, the jewelry store, the pet store, etc. I finally worked up the nerve to go inside and found a roughly sixty-year-old man, presumably the owner (pretty sure his name was Vito). Vito was of cutting a man's hair and looked up at me above his reading glassed and asked, "Do you have an appointment." Confused, I reluctantly responded, "no." He said they were jammed up, but they could fit me in later that day at 4:30pm. When I returned, Vito was cutting a father and his son’s hair, but Angela was available and could cut my hair. I sat in the chair and Angela (about nineteen years old and new to the business, perhaps a niece of Vito) asked me how I wanted my hair cut. This was hard for me to answer, as I've been going to the same girl (Lisa) up the street for over twenty years, Lisa never asks, she knows best so I let her decide. My wife and I think Lisa does a good job. Anyway, I tell Angela to leave one inch on the sides, and two inches on the top. At this point, I'm thinking this Corona thing may last a month or so and I don't want to look like Bigfoot once this thing is over. Angela does her thing and as she is shaving the back of my neck with a straight razor, she says; "How do you like it?" As I’m about respond, I can see Vito's looking over his glasses again as I reply, "Looks great." It looked pretty good, but let’s just assume that Angela might have missed a semester of grade school when they taught the students how to read a ruler.

Fast forward a month, now the hair on top of my head (that was only cut to four inches by Angela) was now five or six inches long. I was having to start ducking through doorways, not a chance a cap in my collection would stay on my head if the wind started blowing, no matter how wet I made my hair it wasn't lying flat, you get the idea. For weeks I begged my wife and daughter to give me a haircut, but they were reluctant as they had almost no experience. I remembered that @hot_rod was doing a webinar at 8pm last night so I logged in early on my phone and waited for it to start. Out of the blue one minute later, the lovely Tracy tells me she is going to cut my hair while our daughter (Kimberly) is going to assist. For the next hour and a half, I got to (mostly) listen and learn from Bob on my phone while getting a haircut. It normally takes Lisa about ten or fifteen minutes and this time it took about ninety minutes, but it was well worth it. Tracy did the cutting, re-cutting, trimming, re-trimming and head pointing, while Kim did the vacuuming (I think she changed the bag about three times, there was a lot of hair). I must admit it was a little hard to hear Hot Rod while the Tracy was trimming my neck, but I could see the air vents Bob was referring to. I gather Bob is doing another webinar next week, maybe I can convince my wife and daughter to give me a trim again?
GroundUpBillyOErin Holohan Haskell

Comments

  • STEVEusaPA
    STEVEusaPA Member Posts: 6,506
    Uh...we're going to need to see a picture...lol
    steve
    rick in Alaska
  • GroundUp
    GroundUp Member Posts: 1,889
    I've had a "buzz cut" since I was 6 years old, and any one hair that touches my ear will drive me batty until it gets cut. It also grows like a weed, so I usually get a trim every 2 weeks or so. Toward the middle of January I was due, but was working 16 hour days and simply didn't have time. Fast forward to February 3rd, I looked like Shaggy from Scooby Doo and was being driven insane by the mop on my noggin BUT again had bigger fish to fry and needed to take a weekend trip to West Yellowstone to celebrate with a backcountry snowmobile trip with some friends after finishing the job that had me consumed for the previous month. The trip didn't go as anticipated, and despite my being an experienced backcountry rider, I did something stupid during a whiteout blizzard and ended up with 3 fractures in my ankle and a 6 hour ride to the hospital only to be told there would be no surgery available for a week. Flew back home to MN, got the ankle glued and screwed back together, and spent the next month with my foot up on a pillow. Finally the pain started to subside and I was able to make an appointment to get my hairs did- wouldn't ya know it, the state mandated all hair salons to close the same day so I never did get my trim. Another 3 weeks went by and my sanity was gone, so I pleaded with my lovely girlfriend to buzz it for me, which she finally caved into and promptly scalped a big chunk out right down to the skin. At this point I took over and simply mowed down the sides, now I have this Billy Ray Cyrus thing going on but at least it's not touching my ears anymore!!
  • Jamie Hall
    Jamie Hall Member Posts: 23,162
    Well... years ago I had a buzz cut, only I don't remember it being called that (we all had them... all the time. There are times when washing your hair isn't an option). Then the years went by with my hair in a very conventional cut. Then I retired... Now I like Willie Nelson. And I have red blonde hair (and, for a guy my age, lots of it!).

    I can't quite braid it, but I don't have to cut it either!
    Br. Jamie, osb
    Building superintendent/caretaker, 7200 sq. ft. historic house museum with dependencies in New England
  • Intplm.
    Intplm. Member Posts: 1,882
    My hair is longer now then it has been in thirty years !

    My world for a flowbee. lol
    Erin Holohan Haskell
  • hot_rod
    hot_rod Member Posts: 22,022
    Thanks for involving me in that experience 😂
    Bob "hot rod" Rohr
    trainer for Caleffi NA
    Living the hydronic dream
    Erin Holohan Haskell
  • EBEBRATT-Ed
    EBEBRATT-Ed Member Posts: 15,453
    I told my brother we need to but a bowl over his head and trim around it with sicsors . Lucky I had mine cut just before the shutdown so so far so good
  • Robert O'Brien
    Robert O'Brien Member Posts: 3,540
    I'm just jealous you can write a post that long about hair!
    To learn more about this professional, click here to visit their ad in Find A Contractor.
    Erin Holohan HaskellSTEVEusaPA
  • Tom_133
    Tom_133 Member Posts: 883
    Im jealous as well, but at least I got a story to match.

    When myself and 2 older brothers were young boys my mother left a pair of sewing scissors out and we thought it made sense to cut our own hair. My oldest brother (10 at the time) cut a perfect bald spot on his head, the next brother (8 or so) in line just cut all over his head, (so big holes) after seeing the first twos mistakes, I being the youngest was not going to follow suit so I cut my bangs off to the scalp. We were already known as feral cats around the neighborhood, but now we looked the part. My poor mother wanted to cry, but realized the best punishment was to bring us to church. Well needless to say no more cutting our own hair after that roasting by "our buddies".

    I now shave my own head, but only cause I have grown through it.


    Tom
    Montpelier Vt
  • ScottSecor
    ScottSecor Member Posts: 851
    I'm glad to see I'm not the only one with a story to tell. I knew @hot_rod would be happy he was "part of" the haircut. Keep the stories coming, we all need a few more laughs.
  • hot_rod
    hot_rod Member Posts: 22,022
    I'm not into my hair that much, $15 and 20 minutes works for me at the local mens barber shop. I don't even need to look at the final product, a #4 clipper always looks the same.

    An architect friend actually takes a sketch to his stylist on what he expects his head to look like at the end of the appointment!

    I've seen guys in chair next to me use a hand mirror to watch and guide the barbers every scissors clip, takes an hour and 30 bucks for their hair cut :)

    Life's too short.
    Bob "hot rod" Rohr
    trainer for Caleffi NA
    Living the hydronic dream
  • HVACNUT
    HVACNUT Member Posts: 5,804
    This is kind of on topic. There's a Haircut in it.

    So this String walks into a bar, hops on a stool and says, "Hey Barkeep, gimme a beer".

    The bartender looks over, sees a String and says, "you're just a String! I can't serve you. You want me to lose my license? Get the **** out of here before I throw you out!"

    Angrily, the String leaves.

    As he's walking down the street, he gets an idea.

    He sees a guy walking towards him and when they get close he asks, "Hey Mr. Do me a favor. I'm going to see Momma String and I look a little sloppy. Can you tie a nice Bow near the top of me so I look respectable?"

    The guy happily obliges and goes on his way.

    Next the String goes into a barber shop and says, "Give me the "Don King". I wanna look like I stuck a fork in an electric socket."

    The barber happily obliges and the String leaves.

    The String goes back to the bar, hops on a stool and says, "Hey Barkeep, gimme a beer."

    The bartender turns and says, "Aren't you the same String I threw out before?"

    The String says, "No, I'm a Frayed Knot."


    I'm bored.
    STEVEusaPAGroundUpCanucker
  • Steamhead
    Steamhead Member Posts: 16,796
    Well, at least we all HAVE hair that needs cutting......... >:)
    All Steamed Up, Inc.
    Towson, MD, USA
    Steam, Vapor & Hot-Water Heating Specialists
    Oil & Gas Burner Service
    Consulting
  • Intplm.
    Intplm. Member Posts: 1,882
    Ok....so I cant find a flowbee!?
    I think what I will have to do is get past the medium length awkward hair growth stage.
    Patience and determination will be the rule of the day for me and many days to come.

    Aspiring to get to @Jamie Halls length of hair. :)
  • Erin Holohan Haskell
    Erin Holohan Haskell Member, Moderator, Administrator Posts: 2,276
    edited April 2020
    Great stories! I gave my husband and daughter haircuts last week. Let's just say it's nothing that time and a couple of hats can't fix. ;)

    Nice job on the webinar, @hot_rod.
    President
    HeatingHelp.com
    STEVEusaPA
  • STEVEusaPA
    STEVEusaPA Member Posts: 6,506

    Great stories! I gave my husband and daughter haircuts last week. Let's just say it's nothing that time and a couple of hats can't fix. ;)

    Nice job on the webinar, @hot_rod.

    Again...pictures please...lol
    steve
    Erin Holohan Haskell
  • rick in Alaska
    rick in Alaska Member Posts: 1,457
    I made the mistake of looking at the top of my head in the mirror. No wonder it doesn't take long to cut any more.
    My wife liked the looks of my hair long, but I wasn't too hot on that, so we compromised and I grew the back long and the sides short. That way, I did not have to see it.
    This town is pretty easy going, and people really don't care about how you look, as long as you are just a good person, so I wasn't too concerned about how it looked from a business standpoint. Anyway, my hair was long enough to put in a ponytail, so it pretty much stayed out of my way, but still took a long time to dry, so I figured out how to make it easier, by getting cancer, and having the chemo take it off. I know, there are easier ways to do it, but this was just a different way to get it done, and sometimes I just do things differently. What can I say. Long story short, I liked it short and found it quite easy to take care of, so I have been keeping it pretty short ever since then. Now it looks like nature is taking care of it.
    Rick