Barbers Shopping

One against the grain… Tip the barber, don’t forget.

—Jig3125

A haircut starts with a question.

“What are we doing today?”

Simple enough.

Yet somehow the answer can change a person’s entire mood.

A little off the top.

A fresh fade.

Something completely different.

Confidence is often just a few inches away.

Barbers know this.

That’s why the chair feels different.

Part therapy session.

Part design studio.

Part trust exercise.

Think about it.

You sit down and willingly hand your appearance over to someone holding sharp objects.

That’s faith.

The barber studies the situation.

Walks around.

Nods thoughtfully.

Maybe squints a little.

Then gets to work.

One against the grain.

One with the grain.

A little here.

A little there.

Suddenly, a pile of hair on the floor is somehow becoming a plan.

Amazing.

The funny thing is, most people only notice a barber when something goes wrong.

Let one line be crooked…

Now everyone is a critic.

That’s a tough business.

Doing great work so people can act like it happened naturally.

That’s why a good barber is worth appreciating.

The ability to listen to a customer explain a haircut using absolutely no barber terminology whatsoever.

“Make it shorter… but not too short.”

Helpful.

Very helpful.

So the next time you leave the chair feeling fresh, remember:

The hair didn’t cut itself.

Tip the barber.

Don’t forget.

— JIG3125