Recently I got a haircut that, let’s just say, I wasn’t too thrilled with. Now anyone who has left a barbershop or a hairdresser with a “situation” they weren’t happy with will know where I’m coming from.
You go in anticipating coming out feeling fresh to death only to walk out feeling like you got butchered. No bueno.
Anyway, on this particular day, I walked into this place in Manhattan which had been recommended to me by a friend.
This was welcomed on my part because I was hoping this would end my monthly trek to Brooklyn just to get a haircut. Anything that cuts down the amount of time I have to spend in Brooklyn is always welcome in my book.
However, once this guy got started on my hair I knew it was probably not going to come out the way I wanted, and once he was done, my worst fears were confirmed. It wasn’t the worst haircut I had ever had in my life but it definitely made my Not-Top 10.
So here’s where the dilemma begins. While this barbershop was conveniently located in Manhattan, I wasn’t happy with the barber I had inadvertently committed myself to. There were a number of other barbers in the same barbershop, but as some of you might already know, making the in-store barber switch is a tough move to pull off.
The closest thing I can compare it to is breaking up with a girl and starting to date one of her close friends. It’s not impossible, but it’s highly unlikely.
So next time I came in, it was one of those awkward moments. My old guy had someone in his chair and said that I was next. I told him that it was cool because I was just going to let the other guy cut me. So I moseyed on into the new guy’s chair as my old guy watched.
I felt like I had been caught cheating or something. He could clearly see what was happening and understandably didn’t appreciate the fact that he was about to lose a client. I didn’t quite know what to say so I didn’t say anything and just maintained the awkward silence peppered by the evil eye he kept giving me. Awkward.
Needless to say, it made relationships in the store tense for a while until eventually, months later, things calmed down.
So here again I find myself in a similar situation and I don’t think that I want to deal with the same barbershop break-up drama again because it is really an uncomfortable position to be in.
In the end, I decided that the easiest solution would be to simply leave that barbershop and find another one rather than try and make the switch. There has to be another barbershop in Manhattan that can cut my hair the way I want it.
If not I guess, like the prodigal son, I will just make my return to my old barbershop in Brooklyn. At least there they will never know I cheated on them.
Featured Image by Larry & Teddy Page on Flickr
Attribution 2.0 Generic (CC BY 2.0)
Sign Up For Our Newsletter
