Hair Cut Saga

Hello, friends. Let's go back to two months ago, when I first got my hair cut short. I tried to go to a nice salon, but many around my town are CLOSED on the weekends (I know! It is shocking and unbelievable! But I called and called, and was told that I was not welcome to visit on the weekend.) The others were booked up for weeks. I have two haircut problems, and this is what they are:

1. Once I decide I want my hair cut, and I know the style I want, I want to get it cut RIGHT NOW. And I will not wait more than 24 hours. This is why I have cut it myself so many, many times.

2. EVERY time I have gone to a salon and asked for a haircut, I have gotten something other than what I asked for*. I've brought 5 or 6 photographs for a single haircut, and discussed the details with the stylist for several minutes, with the lady nodding and saying words making me think that she understands me and will do what I say, and then BAM! She does something else. Once, I asked for a SHAG, which is an extremely layered haircut, and I received a BOB, which is when it is all the exact same length at the bottom. It was like the opposite of what I had asked for. So, I have a hard time paying a lot for a haircut when I know it will not be what I want. This is why I have cut my hair myself so many, many times.

*My friend Sparky has cut my hair, and she does a great job, but I think I always say something like, "I want it about this long. Go crazy." And let her choose the specifics. I've never been disappointed by Sparky's cutting, but now she lives in Texas and I'm in Colorado and that's a long way to go for a hair cut.

I can't cut it myself when it's this short, so I had to go to a place, and the nice places refused to cut my hair IMMEDIATELY so I went to Great Clips. I know, you get what you pay for, and it was only like $7 with a coupon!!

So, I was assigned to Jackie, and she looked at the pictures I brought and then asked me if she should use scissors or a razor to cut it. Luckily, the lady next to her, Sonya, knew how to do it, so she talked her through it. Jackie did make it look good, except that at the end, she accidentally cut a handful of hair, right on my part, REALLY SHORT! Arggh!! Most of it was like 4-5 inches long, and then there was this strip that was only 1-2 inches long. I didn't know until after I got home. I've been trying to hide that hair and tamp it down for 2 months now.

Now, this Jackie had been fooling around during my whole hair cut, yelling at other people working there, gossiping about Doris, who apparently had a fight with Sonya (Sonya would not discuss it in front of customers). She stopped at one point and made a prank phone call. So, it was because she was messing around and not paying attention to what she was doing that she cut my hair badly, so it sticks STRAIGHT UP as often as it can. I don't have the kind of hair cut that has hair sticking straight up in the back, unlike Kate of "Jon and Kate plus 8." I don't want that stick-up hair -- it's just not me. So, when I finally saw her mistake hours later, I was pretty pissed off. It was an accident, but would not have happened if she had been paying attention to what she was doing.

Anyway, 5 weeks ago I went in and asked for Sonya to cut my hair, since she knew what she was doing. That went a lot better, even though she did cut the back too short. I was a little suspicious of Sonya because the first time I saw her, she had on a long, white peasant skirt that was see-through, with black boy shorts underneath (I know -- WHA????) Anyway, I went in that day and asked for her, and I had to wait because she was helping someone else, so Jackie, who had no customers, sat and glared at me while I waited, and said, "Didn't I cut your hair last time?" "Yep," I said. Then, when I was in The Chair, she sat in the next chair and glared at me and said things like, "I guess you don't want me to cut it again." It made me really uncomfortable. I didn't want to say, "Well, you fucked up my hair, you incompetent moron!" (But part of me kind of wanted to say that!) Two more customers came in to wait for Sonya, and no one let Jackie cut their hair. Finally, a mom and a little boy came in and were willing to take Jackie. So, she made him wait for over 5 minutes while she went in the back and bought all the gum.

Yesterday, I called and asked if Sonya was working, and Jackie told me that she'd be in today, from 9 until 4 or 5. So, I went in there today, and no Sonya. A stranger lady who worked there tried to get me to have Jackie cut my hair, but I insisted on knowing when Sonya was working. Finally they told me that she'd be in on Friday from 2 until 9. I will call on Friday and make sure before I go over there. It seems like some elaborate scam by Jackie to have another chance to butcher my hair!

So, the lessons are, Speak Up. If someone does not know what they're doing, just be a bitch, even if it totally outside of your comfort zone, and get out of the chair and wait for the competent person. Also, never trust Jackie.

Hopefully on Friday I can put up a picture of my new haircut by Sonya, with the back left at its current length, and with the short pieces blending in. Please send good wishes for my hair!