Four Great Clips

For the past three or four years, I’ve been getting my hair done at the same place. Going to the salon (I like to say SALL- on) has never been completely gratifying, I always walk out feeling guilty because I either spent too much or didn’t buy enough products. And my hair always looked fine.

But since I’ve started my new job, I have much less free time to make, let alone keep, hair and nail appointments. So I’ve let my hair get scraggly and I just try to keep my nails short and clean.

Last week, school started, and it was time to take Madison in for her back-to-school haircut. I hadn’t made her an appointment at the SALL on, so I decided, since this was Saturday and school started on Tuesday, to take her to Great Clips.

When I decided to take her to Great Clips, I did so thinking that a: We wouldn’t need an appointment, and b: even Great Clips probably can’t screw up just trimming the ends. The thing with Great Clips is, you never know who is going to cut your hair. Usually it’s a woman 25 years older than me, who smells like cigarette smoke and who obviously did not have time to wash her won hair in the morning. Which is one thing that has always puzzled me. Why don't’ the haircutters do their own hair? I guess because at Great Clips it doesn’t matter. You go in, sit down, get your hair cut. When you walk out it will be shorter. My husband always gets his hair cut there, but you know, he’s a guy.

So, in we went. And four noteworthy things happened:
1. All the haircutters looked normal. In fact, the lady who cut my hair, had hair that I really liked. I’ve been asking my stylist at the SALL-on to put layers in my hair for years. She puts exactly two in- one long one, and one about an inch shorter than the other. I want 1985 Joan Jett layers. Not that I want to look like 1985 Joan Jett... I just want layers. So the top has some volume. I got the best haircut I have had in years at Great Clips. I paid twelve dollars for it.

2. Madison got the best haircut she has EVER had at Great Clips. I had so much confidence in the way her stylist looked (young, hip, clean) that I said, “Just make it look better, please.” She put in bangs and layers. So pretty. Twelve DOLLARS!!!

3. As we were getting our haircuts, a guy walks in and asks for a haircut. He says, “Make it good, I am getting married today.” Can you believe it? This guy is not only getting his haircut on his wedding day, but he’s doing it at Great Clips. That’s a hell of a crapshoot. But he walked out looking fine. And a little nervous.

4. The next guy that walked in and asked for haircut said, “Make it good, I’m going to be national TV, on The Biggest Loser.” A Biggest Loser contestant from Albany! He couldn't’ tell us much about the show or how he was doing, but he did say that he had started at 396 pounds. He appeared to be in the low 200s. He was home for “at-home” week. Again, quite a crapshoot to get your haircut at Great Clips.

So that’s my Great Clips story.