So today I needed my hair did. I didn't want to go back to the last place as they definitely messed up. I had to let the hair grow out for a while to get it back to a state where I could get a legit cut. I love me my barber shops and always ask the locals the best places to go. Never met a guy who doesn't love that warm shaving cream and straight blade cut.
So I found a place today that I thought I would try out because someone recommended it. It is a small barber shop in downtown Albany called Love's. Its a typical urban barber shop and reminded me a lot of my favorite one in Boston. Young group of barbers and very chill.....minus the NY Yankee crap people were wearing. I won't hold it against them I guess.
My barber's name was Jimmy. An older guy but very into the times. He had to be with the younger guys around. Let's just say him and I were the only white people in there. But everyone was funny.
I walk in and he was eating, so I told him take his time I was in no hurry and caught up on my Sportscenter fix for the day. Finally went over and he was happy that I let him finish because he just found out he was diabetic and had to get food every so many hours. Glad I could help him since he was going to be cutting my hair. He definitely took his time and made sure things were perfect. All the other guys there said he was the best one for the job and gave him a lot of praise. So I knew I was in good hands.
One of the other guys looked out the window and sees that the parking patrol walked up to a car and was starting to write a ticket. They asked what color my car was and I said silver. Just so happens that the car that was getting a ticket was silver. Jimmy, dropped what he was doing and ran outside to talk to the parking patrol. It ended up being someone else's car luckily. He came back and said that he likes to take care of his clients and make sure nothing happens to them. I thought, well that's awesome of him to go and make sure I wouldn't get a ticket. This guy doesn't know me and was going out of his way to make sure I would be taken care of. As he finished, which turned out to be a baller hair cut, I stood up and he looks at me and stops me, takes out his razor again and fixes something and said now he was finished. His quote was "I never let anyone walk out of here without the perfect haircut." I left him a good tip and he gave me his card.
As I walked out, I was very pleased with how it went, and how Jimmy treated someone he just met. And I asked myself, why doesn't this happen very often? Why are more people not like Jimmy and go that extra step and mile to help someone just to make sure they have a pleasant experience?
As I walked to my car, not one person would look at me, all with their iPods in their ears looking at the ground. No one cares about anything around them, only what goes on in their little world. I try to say hi to people out on the street just because it is polite, but people now a days don't care about you and put blinders on. I also looked at people in their cars as I drove by them, everyone looked miserable. No smiles, no jamming out to some crazy song on the radio, no windows open on this gorgeous day. What is wrong with people? Enjoy life, have fun, live a little!
My job is to give people the motivation to get healthier, happier, and enjoy life more. Jimmy's job is to cut hair.....and I feel that after seeing what he did, our jobs are the same. Thanks Jimmy!
Live Greatly
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