So today started out rather dreadfully, my first client started out wanting one haircut, then once I was completed she decided she wanted another one altogether, then one more. After three haircuts in a row I was awarded the “attaboy” that only a one-dollar tip could provide. Yepper, a single dollar. I didn’t get a lunch break today because of this multi-cut of indecision, and to say “Thank you I love my hair and I really appreciate you going home starving and exhausted” she heralded me with a single, wrinkly dollar bill. I would have rather gotten nothing at all, it would have said to me “I don’t tip anybody” rather than “This is how much I value your time.” However, I perked up a bit with my next client.
I was starting up a haircut with a lady, we were talking about graduation day and I talked briefly about hours and the concept of banked hours, saying “Might be tempted to take a couple days off just to watch Olympics on TV.”

She replied “Huh, that’s interesting. So you like the Olympics?” and I said “Love ‘em! Especially the Winter games.” “Why the Winter games?” I replied “‘Cause they’re faster and more dangerous. Summer games are OK but they seem to be all about ordinary beach sports.” She replied “Well I’m sorry that I may be a disappointment to you, because the medal I have at my house was won in some of those boring slow summer games.”

I wonder if she could feel my mental pause as I was shampooing her. Did she just say she was a Silver Medalist? Must be kidding, busting my stones for pooping ever so slightly on the Summer games.

“Really?” I asked “What event?” “Rowing. Won the silver medal for rowing back in 1984. I was SUPPOSED to go to the 1980 games, but…” and I finished her sentence “…because of the Moscow boycott. Are you serious? That’s awesome.”

I acted all smooth and stuff, like I wasn’t at all phased by having a world-class athlete in my chair, but as we were just passing time talking casually about Olympic stuff I couldn’t help but be terribly aware that I was talking with someone who was IN the Olympics. In the way that it feel awkward to be casually talking about the Olympics as an ordinary spectator, with someone who viewed them through the eyes of a winning competitor.

Even if it wasn’t one of the more “rockstar” events like gymnastics or speed skating I couldn’t care – a medal is a medal. A medal means “Say what you will about the Olympics, I came here to compete against a world of other competitors in this event, and I beat them.” All but one of them, anyway.

So, I had already forgotten about the woman with the three haircuts and the dollar tip. My day was now brightened just that little extra bit.

So, if anyone knows a Gold medalist who is in dire need of a haircut…