When Ryan & I first got married it didn't take long before I learned that his hair grew like a weed. He was spending about $20 every other week to get it cut. Back then we were so poor and every penny counted so I begged and begged Ryan to give me a chance to cut his hair for him so that we could save ourselves a little cash.
After at least a year of me begging, he gave me a shot. Things went pretty well. I quickly figured out the blending thing, and he was looking good. I took off the attachment to do the final touch-ups on the back of his neck. Can you guess what happened next? Ryan noticed that I missed a few pieces of hair on the top, so what did I do? You guessed it! I dove right in and shaved the top of his head bald, because of course I forgot to put the attachment back on.
It took a good 6 years or so before I was given the opportunity to try again. But... eventually laziness overcame Ryan's fears, (apparently it's a big ordeal to drive to Fantastic Sam's) and I have now become his permanent hair stylist. After much practice, I have mastered exactly one hair style (in various lengths) This in no way qualifies me for this position. I never went to beauty school! I'm not a professional by any means. Yet my one, lone customer seems to have some pretty high demands.
Although Ryan usually loves the end result and is very grateful that I was willing to cut his hair for him, the whole time I'm doing my work I get to hear fabulous comments such as these:
- Ouch! Do you really need to grab my face to turn my head?
- Did you remember the attachment?
- Why is this taking so long? The ladies at Great Clips could do this in about 5 minutes.
- You don't have to pull my ears to cut behind them.
- Did you put the attachment on?
- Why do I keep having to stand up and turn around? I wish we had a swivel chair.
- Those clippers are hot. Don't touch them to the back of my neck.
- Don't forget the attachment!
- Make sure the back is even.
- One side looks fluffier than the other.
- This isn't blended very well.
- What's going on with this part right here?
- Make sure you are using an attachment!
This is just a small sampling of the dialog that takes place while I'm cutting Ryan's hair. So I'm wondering... how many of you out there have found yourself in my same position? Are you trying your hardest to be a hair stylist with no training at all? Are you subjected to the ridicule and demands of such a picky customer? Are you compensated for your efforts? I need your advice because this current set-up isn't really working for me anymore.
9 comments:
Oh, I can't stop laughing! It sounds like you tape recorded a conversation between Art and me! Soooo funny! I have Ammon now, so I'm trying to save double the money and it is rough! No training and no idea what I'm doing! Oh well, those two deserve it! I'm thinking about getting my compenasation by demanding a dollar for every nasty comment... We'll see if I get paid!
Oh how I know this story. I get to cut three little boys, a husband and a dad's hair. Good times.
I was very thankful the day Kent decieded to just buzz it off and call it good. I think it may have saved our marriage.
OH man! You should just start "forgetting the attatchment" every time! Then he will only ask you... I mean you won't have to do it again! :) Mwahahhahahaha!
Hey, this sounds like us and I am professionally trained! My husband has always been my pickiest client. I put off cutting his hair until it's a complete mop! My conclusion is it must be a husband thing.
hehe! I was scared to cut Rob's hair the first few times! But considering how short he keeps it, it's hard to mess up! =)
Good luck!
Sound like Joel. He makes me cut his and Tanners hair, they both scream at me give me dirty looks and Joel keeps having to get a mirror to check and then comes back and tells me what I did wrong so I can do it over. You will never get it right or make them happy, that is my conclusion.
Yeah...for just that reason Aryn cuts his own hair and now he cuts Garretts too. He taught himself to cut it before his mission and has done it ever since. Tell Ryan if he keeps up the complaining that he will have to do it himself and now you know that it can be done! Aryn tried to teach me, but I think I said "oops" one too many times and it drove him crazy! Or just chain him down and tape his mouth, that should help!
Great post! Kurt wanted me to cut his hair the other day. I have buzzed it before, but he wanted me to "feather" (what ever that means) the back of it. Maybe he meant blend, oh-well either way I didn't have a clue what I was doing. I tried my best, but in the end I just had to buzz the whole thing! We were laughing so hard, me because I could see what I was doing, and him because he couldn't see!
This really is a good story, and most of it is true. I wanted to go on record to say how much I appreciate my dear wife cutting my hair....even though she forget the attachment sometimes. She does an excellent job. Occasionally she burns my neck with the clippers and then tells me they aren't hot, but then feels them and says something like, "Oh...these really ARE hot." However, that doesn't stop her from continuing to burn my neck for the remainder of the fabulous haircut.
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