Rantings of a Black Polemicist

My Barber is Cut

Friday, July 23rd, 2004 | Trivialities

My current barber first cut my hair right before my wedding day. It looked great and made that day even more special. He does a great job generally, but he doesn’t seem to value my time very much.

Way back, I stopped seeing him for nearly a year because of this. Sometimes he left to pick his wife up from her job in the evenings. He never made his schedule clear to me.

On a few occaisions, I got in just as he was wrapping up what he thought was his last haircut. He’d be visibly annoyed, not even responding when I greeted him. I’d get an 8-minute express cut for the same price that looked like poo. He’d get even more annoyed when I pointed out spots that he’d missed. Often, some substitute barber would be waiting for me. Worse still, sometimes the shop would be locked up at 5:30 with no explanation.

I bought a pair of clippers and started cutting my own hair at that point.

Finally, I started going back around last Christmas. I was self-employed, so it worked out better. I came in at 11am early in the week when I knew he’d be there, reading a magazine, waiting for yours truly.

Now that I’ve gone back to work, time is money. Yesterday was the last straw: I rushed out of the office on my lunch break, fed the parking meter and raced to the shop. It was 12:45. The shop’s curtains were drawn and the door was locked. Odd, I thought. My frustrated tugging at the door brought him outside, and he explained to me that he always leaves around this time to pick up his wife at 1:00, and that he woudn’t be able to cut my hair that day. He was apologetic, but I would have to change my schedule to accomodate him… again. Would I have to take early or late lunches to get a cut now? Can’t a brotha keep predictable hours for his customers?

Why not get an appointment with him, you ask? I’ve tried that. I call ahead just to sit and wait as he cuts a few more heads in front of me. Sometimes I get jumped in line. Sometimes I don’t. I’ve absolutely no insight into the logic behind it.

Barbers should be forced to choose between walk-ins or appoinments. If I make an appointment and there’s someone in your chair, what’s the point? I’m still waiting.

I was referred to a guy that cuts heads by appointment only at his “salon”. After describing my relatively simple hairstyle, he quoted me “$35 and up” for a shampoo and cut. Ouch. My current barber charges only $17.

I don’t care anymore. I now have a standing appointment every Wednesday at 12:30pm to see Yazeed. If is able to respect my time and cut hair, he’s a keeper.