After a couple of bad haircuts, I decided to try a different barber shop. I always got stuck with the third or fourth chair barber who was just out of barber school or had too much to drink the night before. Or maybe that morning. Who knows?
Anyway, I found another barbershop a little closer to my house. When I walked up to the door, a handwritten note announced “Carmelo is not here.” It was Carmelo’s Barbershop. Okay. No problem. They were open, so there must be other barbers cutting hair.
Just before I opened the door to walk in, I saw a small table with a spiral-bound notebook and pen. It was open to a page with a list of names, most of which were crossed out. I wrote my name and walked in.
A young lady was cutting hair, and a couple of other men were waiting their turn. I sat down and read some emails on my phone. I listened as the barber described how her father (Carmelo) was sick, the other part-time barber was ill, and she was running the shop alone that day.
As she finished each cut, she would take their money, walk outside, check the notebook, and call out the next name. A pretty good system, just one I’ve never seen before. Usually, I walk into the barbershop, sit and take note of the other guys sitting there so I know when it will be my turn. Sometimes I get the front of the line since they are waiting for a specific barber. Of course, then I get a lousy haircut.
Anyway, I got a great haircut that day. I went back and got another great haircut from another barber in that shop a month later.
It all worked out pretty well.
Waite for it... 