First Haircut!

Today could have been a traumatic time for me. I needed a haircut. I mean i really needed a haircut. I couldnt put it off anymore....but i was afraid. How would i tell the hairstylist what i wanted? I have heard of some horror stories. I guess it makes sense, how often to they cut gaijin (foreigners) hair? Surely the hair and styles are different.

So today i borrowed Adams bike and biked around and i found the familiar blue and red spirals outside of a shop...i have found my hairstylist. I walked in and spoke as much japanese i could to try to make it more common for him. Bad mistake. He then replied at a mile a minute in japanese phrases well beyond my comprehension. To add to my shock, the hairstylst's son started giggling because he realized: 1) i had no idea what they were saying, and 2) his father had to cut a gaijin's hair.

I drew on my miming skills from performing comedy but i had to realize i was not trying to be funny, this was a serious matter. I showed him i wanted my hair cut short. I did this by using my fingers to show him about a cm of length. He nodded and put my bib on me. I then decided what ever happens happens. I decided to shut my eyes and go with the flow. I had realized that if he was messing up, there was no way i could tell him how to fix it. So i sat there, forcing my eyelids shut. I felt clippers, shavers and all kinds of sprays and tickly brushes. I admit i cheated and peaked one time and i thought i was going to have a bowl cut.

Then came the scariest part...with my eyes closed, i felt a blade on my neck. It caught me off guard but he was using a straight edge razor on my neck, and behind my ears.

He then made some sound that i took as "finished" and i had a drum roll sound playing in my head as i slowly opened my eyes...and....wow, it looks pretty good! I was so nervous, but the cut looks great.

Now, do i tip? I tried and left them some money, but he promptly came out to my bike and gave it back to me! He now has a loyal gaijin customer!