SportsClips

Ok, so I've talked in the past about this new hair cut store for men in the shopping center below our complex. So today, I went to try it out. I needed a haircut, I had a coupon, and this place is supposed to be the place for guys to go to get a good cut, watch some sports, and have some cheerleader-type chick cut your hair.

I walk in and the guy at front gets my info and tells me a stylist will be with me in a moment. Next thing I know, I'm standing face to face with a black dude named Al who is escorting me back to my chair. Assuming, not expecting, that my "stylist" would be some petite blond wearing a skirt and showing off her pom-poms, I'm sure my look of surprise with "Al" probably made him feel uneasy. I don't know if I assumed he was gay, or that he was just misplaced considering this store is all about HAIRCUTS FOR GUYS (home away from home - all marketing materials show girls cutting hair). The last thing I wanted was to have this dude who looks like he should be starting for the Chargers waving some scissors around my neck while he's pissed off at me.

So, it takes me a few moments to figure out how this place went from the "Haircut Hooters" to "Brokeback Clips for Men". I sit in the chair and Al practically chokes me with the apron he puts on me. He asks me quite sternly, "Is this too tight for you?" Thinking I got to man-up (since this is the "Haircut Store for Men"), I tell him it's fine. Once I sit in the chair, everything starts to get better.

First off, every station has a TV playing sports, this morning it was the Nets/Raptors playoff game. I'm not a huge fan of the NBA, but what else am I going to watch at 10am on a Saturday morning whike getting my haircut by a guy? The TVs are a little off to the side but my chair gets pointed directly at the TV and doesn't move the entire time. This is a major plus. There is no conversation, just watching sports on TV while getting a cut. As the first quarter comes to an end, I realize that Al is scoping out my hair pretty closely.

The second quarter starts just as he begins to cut my hair to my liking. One thing I notice is that he is real precise and taking his time in everything. I'm not big on getting a haircut, and personally, I think I should have shaved my head again about a month ago, but this attention to detail is kind of impressive. I drift back into the NBA game and as my haircut is coming to an end, so is the second quarter. I've been in the chair for over 20 minutes, and I've said a total of about 10 words, and watched a quarter and a half of playoff basketball.

Then Al escorts me back to the dark room where all the wash bins are at. I take a seat and he tells me he is going to use some Tea Tree blah blah blah massaging shampoo and it will be available at the front desk if I want to buy some on the way out. I'm starting to feel uncomfortable for Al because he is now changed from a precision barber to a Salon product pimp. He runs the water and applies the shampoo to my head. Catching me by complete surprise, he starts massaging the front of my head. Then moves to different points on my head. Now before you all think he is hitting on me, this is part of the package deal I got with my coupon. I just didn't expect this. Once he is done massaging my head, he rinses out my hair and walks away for a few moments. He comes back and wraps a nice warm towel around my face and leaves me there for a bit. By now, I'm about ready to take a nap. He comes back, dries my hair and then takes me back to the chair. He then pimps out some Tea Tree Conditioner. Since the last time he told me about a product, I got a little massage out of it, this time I was listening. Anyway, he breaks out some massaging wand, and starts massaging my neck and shoulders. It felt great and really relaxing, so naturally I felt awkward that some guy was doing this all to me.

Once I was done, he walked me out front and I paid, gave Al a tip and headed home with an experience that I'm sure I'll never have again. I'm shaving my head next month and not letting any guy touch my head again.