My Hair Affair

I am one of those people who like familiarity when it comes to certain things, such as getting a haircut. I like going to the same person or salon, knowing what I am in for, what I can expect. But yesterday, I had to bite the bullet and get myself a haircut here in Bangkok. I headed over to the shopping area of Siam Center and walked into Club Chic. Nobody spoke a word of English and I speak even less Thai. I made a scissors motion with my fingers and was promptly given a number and a seat. When the time came for my haircut, I wasn’t sure how to explain what I wanted. I had looked at a few magazines while waiting and didn’t see anything that would look good on me. I don’t think I can pull of the Thai version of “the Rachel”.

In fact, I have always been leery of haircuts with someone’s name attached. Most of them seem to have been for women; The Farah Fawcett, which was one of my mom’s old favorites, the Lady Di, the Bo Derek, the Demi Moore circa Ghost and of course the Rachel. Being a man I have always been spared the pressure to walk around with another person’s do on my head. That is, until yesterday.

With the exception of shaving my head once a year or so, I have pretty much had the same hair since 1998 and I have always been happy with my nameless portion of non-receding hair on my head. No reason to change. But then it happened. I needed to explain which haircut I needed, and without skipping a beat, the hairdresser brought me a small book filled with images of various celebrities in a number of looks. Even though I saw my hair on the first page, I decided to thumb through and see if I could find it on someone else, someone whose name I wouldn’t mind having stamped on my forehead, but my efforts were in vain. I had no choice but to cave in. I took a deep breath and pointed. The hairdresser smiled and began cutting away.

I my hair is the opposite of Asian hair. It is blonde, baby fine and very soft, so I always have to out up with whoever is doing my hair taking a minute or two to have a feel and smile and invite someone over to experience it as well. Yo hay eso sof. This time was no exception. But soon we got down to business and before I new it, I paid and stepped out into the Bangkok sun with my Ryan Seacrest hair.