This blog touches Jenny's occupation of making people look nice. You know! Hair color, hair perm, hair color and hair style. For Jenny, it is like having an annuity because people keep coming back to look nice.
It began with my Grandpa Chalk's barbershop. The City Club had a barbershop next to the Mill Street entrance to the tavern. He would trim my hair "for fun" and then tease me about getting a shave. I remember him wrapping a hot towel around my face to soften up my beard (remember I was 5 years old) and I couldn't stand the heat. I would toss the towel off and everybody would laugh. By the way, you didn't call for an appointment, you sat in the barbershop until it was your turn, and then you got your haircut.
In the 50's while going to high school, haircuts were simple. Mly dad said I could have a crewcut, a crewcut, or a crewcut. The theory was that it was easy to shower and no combing was required. Afterall, that is what athletes do. So I went to the local barber, paid my $1.00 and walked out with a crewcut (also called a flat-top or a zip). If you look at my wedding picture, I was still sporting a "zip".
Then as my life began to change, I decided that engineers and business people didn't have a "zip". They had longer hair that was combed for a groomed look. The groomed haircut was still simple and cost between $1.00-$2.00.
My Vollrath years (70's and early 80's) included Ansel Tupper. He had a barbershop on Calumet in Sheboygan. He was flexible. You could ask for a longer cut or a shorter cut or anything in between. It didn't make any difference. He always cut the same. By then the cost had climbed to $4.00-$5.00.
We moved to Appleton in the mid 80's and I was referred to an old time barber by some of the employees at Artfaire. The "old time barber" must have cut hair in the army because when you left his shop you looked like you had been skinned. The panic was on to find someone else.
Shelby indicated that many guys frequented the shop where she went and they could get their hair styled anyway they wanted. I was persuaded to try it.
So I met Mark, my hair stylist. Whoa, whoa, whoa! My own hair stylist. He is a good conversationalist and we share common subjects like cars, boats, and philosophy of life. My haircut has changed. Now I get an appointment. Mark won't cut my hair unless he shampoos it first. He has a tendancy to make every haircut the same even though he asks me how I'd like it styled. He does try. $23. Now if you go to a hair stylist you are suppose to tip. I give $3-$4 in tip (almost as much as I was paying originally in Sheboygan). Then to hold the styled hair in place, I should use a natural hair spray that he sells. Another $11.95. Of course for compatibility, the natural shampoo is the right choice. Another $10.00. I left Mark's shop last week and I had spent $49.00. What the hell? I am still not sure whether I'm suppose to tip on just the haircut (at $23) or the total (around $45).
How did this happen? From a "zip" for $1.00 as a kid to $50 for the full treatment. I get the full treatment alright. The only thing getting clipped is my wallet. Retired people should not have to endure this extravagant treatment.
Why do I go back? Because I'm stupid! The conversation is good and the haircut is reasonable. Besides I'm too lazy to look for another barber.
In hindsight, my Grandpa Chalk should have continued as a barber and ignored the tavern business. Hair stylists have got to be living the good life with all the exorbitant fees they charge.
My lesson grasshoppers is that it is difficult to avoid getting clipped in life. You have to decide whether the fee you pay is worth the fleecing you get.
Love,
Dad