When this Whole Thing got started, I was already growing my hair out a little bit, and then they shut the Barber shops, and it was three months before they opened them again.
I kinda like the way I look with the longer hair. Like college. I have been wearing a headband on all the video chats at work, and I’m getting lots of interesting comments, such as “I like the new look,” and “Rocking the headband.” But I don’t like the hair hanging in my eyes or sticking to my eyebrows or coming out in my brush. So today I went and got a haircut.
The salon is on 1st St in Claremont. Backs up against the train tracks. It is usually a pain to find parking, but tonight, a Friday night in Summer, spaces were available right in front of the salon. Go figure.
The receptionist asked a bunch of questions about my Contacts in the past few days, then asked me to sign an attendance sheet, like the ones they have you sign after you take the annual high rise fire safety training at work.
My stylist came out and said, “I’ll be right with you; I have to sanitize the chair.”
They’re only using every other station, and the music wasn’t as loud as usual.
We talked about what shows we’re binge watching, but he’s all Hulu and I’m all Netflix, so we had nothing in common today. He asked about roommate. I told stories of steaming the tile with the steam Swiffer, and the twisted suspicions that I’m not looking hard enough for Lysol. I mentioned that I haven’t been able to find ammonia to pour on the T-shirt that supposedly keeps the coyotes off our deck. He told me about the day the custodian who hadn’t taken chemistry in school mixed ammonia and bleach in his mop bucket at Sears in the Mall where he worked in his first job after high school, and they had to evacuate the Mall. He suggested the janitorial supply store across from Lowe’s, which is where he gets the products to sterilize his station, so I went there after the blowdry.
There was a nice young man at Foothill Vacuum & Janitorial Supply who helped me find what I needed, but they don’t carry ammonia, but they did have black nitrile gloves size medium, so that was a win after three months.
When this Whole Thing got started, I bought a homemade mask for $7 from the daughter of a cousin of a cousin who lives nearby and attends the local Catholic girls high school. I thought that would be good enough, but these days the elastic isn’t as elastic as it used to be. I noticed Foothill Vacuum & Janitorial Supply had masks on sale for $31 for a box of either 50 or 100, and I thought about buying a package, but I’m not there yet.
I did buy some Orange Oil, ’cause I can never seem to find it when it’s on the list. And Aloe hand sanitizer, which doesn’t seem to be scarce anymore. The nice young man gave me the store business card and told me their website is always up-to-date, check in the morning, call to see if they have Lysol. I spent $36, and they’re now on speed dial.
Then I went across the street to Lowe’s. They are still out of ammonia, and the worker said she didn’t know when they’d get more and didn’t understand. She also told me, as though I couldn’t see the empty shelf, that they were out of spray disinfectant. So I bought a package of hard-to-find Lavender Vanilla Glade refills.
Thought about stopping at The Hat on Central for a pastrami dip, but couldn’t picture myself eating through the mask, and we all know the dips are no good cold or reheated.
Drove back home, went back to work, and worked until sunset.
Then I watched “Horrible Bosses.” And my hair looks great!
The Billy Pulpit 