A Cutting Experience

She was hoovering around my head, regarding each angle of it with the precision of a nuclear scientist. Every now and then she let out a silent 'Hmm..' or 'Ahh..', like as if to let me know that she knew what she was up to and that she was coming up with ideas. In between the hoovering she cautiously lifted small tangles of hair strands, looked at them for a while, let out another 'Ahh!', and let them back after a few quick, perfectly planned snaps with the shears.

The venue was Tony&Guy Academy in Hong Kong where I went to get my hair cut yesterday. The experience was out of the ordinary, I have to say, and I got a view into the spectacular world of the Hair Artists.

I entered their lobby a little bit late. It was not only because the place was hidden in a dark alley with practically no signs leading the way, but also because I am me and I'm supposed to be late. I'm always late, even when I'm on time. I can't help it.

Anyway, I was offered a seat, and after a few minutes a trendy guy with an even trendier haircut entered the room. He had a quick look at my hair and then hurried out to bring back a young girl, probably the student who was going to do my hair. They looked at my head while discussing it in Cantonese. I told them all I knew was I wanted it shorter, and trusted them to make something cool out of it. After some five minutes they seemed to have come to a decision and Trendy boy strutted away, leaving miss Student with me and my hair.

And she started. She hoovered around and around, seemingly not taking anything away but still managing to be busy with my tuft - her artwork - forever. The play went on for an incredible 1.5 hours. Then she showed me my new hairstyle in a mirror - 'You like?'

Of course I bloody liked! I liked my old cut and practically nothing had changed! Around the chair lay about a dozen tiny lumps of hair strands, and my hair length was no different from before. But I did not want the same cut as before, especially when the new one was performed practically without a single cut from the shears.

I would have asked her to redo it had I got the time, but she had already been going on for 1.5 hours and I really did not want to suffer through another two, no matter how cheap it was. So I reluctantly payed the 50 HKD and hurried back home, already very late for my next appointment.