August 16, 2001

Today I got my haircut. Let's face it, it's hard to find a good hairstylist. I know that being concerned about my hair is shallow compared to important issues like Stem Cell Research, but material concerns tug at my soul. Fortunately, I now have a reliable, good hairstylist: my friend Eric Daly at Toujours Salon up in Andersonville. If you're looking, he's great, good price, great guy.

There are many types of problem hairstylists. Have you had any of these types?

The one who didn't listen to you and gives you a whole new look you never anticipated.
The one who straight up butchers your hair making the Flock of Seagulls look like the epitome of moderation.
The one who does a pretty good job but only speaks with grunts that make you rather uncomfortable.
The one who costs WAY too much, and you can't believe you paid that much for THIS.
The nice one who does a great job, and each time you go back your conversation increases in intimacy until the balance tips to less cut, more talk, and they do a sloppy job, but you can't bring yourself to say anything so you just don't go back.
The one who left a dwarf in the kitchen.

On my way home from the haircut, I got on the 22 bus going South, sat in the back and took out my notebook. There were four other people in the back of the bus with me. Three of them had headphones on, listening to music. The other one was crazy. I've always thought that wearing headphones and listening to music while in public was a psychologically isolating posture. It puts up an extra barrier between yourself and those people around you.

What I mean by crazy is, that the fourth guy was talking out loud to himself while reading Parade Magazine from the Tribune. I looked over - he was an African American guy, about 35, with scars or burn marks on his chin. I tried to listen to what he was saying, but it was hard to hear him. I was only able to capture about 1/2 of what he said, but here is what I could note:

Not enough time taken.
Not enough money for some cockroachs.
No one likes rejection or failure.
Get the garbage off the television and let all the students learn.
Prime time...education time.
They say longevity is getting longer and longer.
Because that's all the accomplishments they'll have & they'll be forgotten.
That's probably where all your ecstacy is coming from...Raves, grunge, possibly even cockroaches.
This is only because I haven't fallen.
Shoulda got rid of 'em. [Laughs.] But we can't get rid of 'em. Not according to this.
Well, maybe the next time around you'll get to be a fool...or a taxi driver...or a taxi driver. God protects fools or taxi drivers.
Don't have to worry about nothing like that.
A Doc-Ter. A Doc-Ter.
I don't know where the damn taxi drivers come from.

Not because of the crazy man...But, I saw a little door at the top of the bus which said Emergency Exit Only. I wanted to take it.