the haircut

We've all had one of those moments. That moment, when, you wish you could go back in time and change something you did, but... it's too late.

I hate to admit it, but I actually have those moments quite frequently. What is the most recent moment you ask? Why, it was just a few days ago when I got my hair cut.

Short. Way too short.

It's actually not too bad. For a boy. But my hair grows pretty fast so it shouldn't be an issue for long (I keep telling myself).

Being a bank teller, I see a lot of different people every day, and some of them can't hide what they are thinking (they don't even try). So I have gotten a lot of comical reactions to my new "do."

First, there are the regular customers who notice right away, and most of them are nice and will say, "I like your haircut" to me, and then we will move on to topics like the weather or the nice weekend we all had. I love those customers!

Then there are the awkward customers. One of these particular people, after I said "hello" today from across the lobby, started walking towards my window and I knew right away when he noticed my short locks. His jaw dropped open and an almost disgusted look came across his face. I got the impression he didn't care for my new hair (nice rhyme, don't you think?).

There are some customers who come in frequently enough that I can call them by name when they enter the lobby, and I usually try to call out "Hi <customer's name>" when I can. But, I guess with every new haircut comes plastic surgery of some kind because inevitably a customer comes in and I greet them by name (which they apparently don't hear) and they come to my window and ask, "Oh, you must be new. How long have you been working here?"   -_-

Only like, my whole adult life, but hey, who's counting? Lost on them is the fact that about two seconds ago I just greeted them by name and social security number and asked how their pet pig was doing.

Yeah, I'm new here.

There are also comments that you aren't completely sure if it's meant as a compliment or some kind of sarcastic joke. Let's see what you think about the following comment: "You look good, but I'm not sure why."

...

I don't really know what I'm expected to say back to a comment like that.

"Um, thank you?"

I would be able to respond better to people if I knew what they were expecting in way of response from me. Like when they go into a long complicated story about something I don't understand that they think I do, but give me clues as to how I should be feeling for them at the moment. At times it's acceptable to laugh and say, "That's crazy! Why would they do that?" Or look upset and say "Wow, that's ridiculous." Or the fake sad face you make when you don't really care, but have to be nice to them anyways and say "I'm sorry. That's awful."

When you change something as drastically as I changed my hairstyle, random people who have never really seemed to have looked twice at you, will have some type of comment. The comments from these people are some of the hardest comments to respond to because you are completely taken off guard. Especially if they come from a nice looking guy who never really made conversation with you in the past. Yikes! First off, I have to deal with the nervousness of even being in the same room with the hunk, now he is giving me a compliment?!

On my boy hair?

What does one do with all the blood rushing to ones face to stop the blush? And where do coherent, applicable sentences form by way of appearing to act natural?!

So, the next time I walk into a salon to get my hair done, I'll try to remember and ask the stylist if she can do anything that will keep customer comments on the normal side of things. Because I don't want to have another one of those moments. Or a day like today.


the end.

P.S.

Hair, please grow quickly!!!