The Dangers of Getting Your Hair Cut

Since I don’t get my hair cut very often I can justify going someplace nice.  Not only do I get a spiffy trim and a nice scalp massage, I can also get the same stylist every time.  Over the past four years Carrie and I have gotten to a point where when she asks what I want I can just say, “Whatever. I don’t care. Just cut as the Spirit leads.” She wouldn’t do that at first, and trying to tell her what I wanted lead to much stress and several terrible haircuts. 

But I kept going back, because I knew that in time she’d trust I trusted her.

Even after this happened.

That trust now extends to other things.  Over the years, she's shared concerns as her husband has tried to juggle work and finishing school, and I've worried about finding work.  Last time I was there I told Carrie about my delightful date and faulty follow up.  Rather than giving me a list of movies to watch, she started pointing out her single coworkers.  She either really hates the other girls at the salon and wants to see them romantically frustrated, or she sees potential in me.  Either way, since I was facing a mirror I could watch my face turn red and enjoy the appearance of my blond and usually invisible eyebrows.

Today, while she was carefully trimming around my right ear I quietly asked, “So, which of your cute coworkers are you going to try and set me up with this time?”

Carrie laughed and said, “Now I know why you keep coming back here,” as she began pointing out the single girls. Before walking me back to the desk, she said, “I saw Lisa looking over here. I’m going to go tell her you’re single.” I don’t know if she did or not. But she did disappear for a minute longer than normal. Upon returning, Carrie stood behind the pretty receptionist (Kelly, I think?) and made a silly face while pointing with her eyes.

I just laughed as I imagined introducing this professional looking young woman with the unprofessional looking nose ring to my conservative parents. 

Don't worry. She only dresses like this for special occasions. 

 Perhaps I shouldn’t be so quick to laugh, though.  Carrie once told me that her husband didn’t ask her out on their first date—she did the asking.  So while she seems shy and quiet, I know what Carrie’s really capable of.  Before going to her next client, Carrie made a point of asking if she’d see me next time.  I better stop making jokes.

However, maybe Miss Nose-Ring is The One.  A friend of mine met her future husband through a used car dealer (a sitcom that practically writes itself, now that I think about it).  A supervisor met his wife at a party and they took an immediate disliking to each other.  A coworker met his wife of over 40 years because she answered phones at an office he called frequently. Stranger things have happened. 

Too bad I’m not due for another haircut until mid July…