#106. or, I should of got the gel

  Recently, my barber moved away. His name was Sal. I used to go to a different place but one time I couldn't get a walk-in appointment there, so I wandered up the street, hitting every place until I found someone willing to cut my hair on short notice. That's how I ended up at Sal's.

  Sal was a dudes barber. It didn't matter when you wandered in, there was always a spot on the couch to read the paper as you waited, while Sal fired out hair cuts, 10 minutes at a time. Unless of course, you went on seniors day. Then the place was busy as hell. But any other day, was fine. Once I even saw an old straight razor on the counter. I always thought that I would ask him for a shave one day with the straight razor, but I never worked up the balls.

   I can't remember ever getting a haircut there without him being on his cell phone talking to someone in an Arabic language but it didn't matter, we didn't have to chat.  It was the only place I know where I was a regular and as I'd sit myself into the chair, he would ask if I wanted the usual and as I'd nod, he'd slip the appropriate fitting onto the clipper and get to work.  

  ..........but he moved away and I needed a haircut.

  So yesterday, after doing a crop tour, I thought I'd just try a walk-in at the place that I used to go to. As luck would have it, there was an open spot and they took my in straight away. It wasn't the familiar, easy-as-she-goes, hair cut I was used to. Honestly, I was a little apprehensive. My hair stylist was an attractive young woman and that was pleasant. She asked if using the clippers was fine, and it was, but I couldn't remember what number attachment I usually had and we had to experiment a bit to figure that out. We chatted about the weather, and vacations, and the wicked ass mosquito's that seem to have descended upon us in the last week. It didn't take her long to finish. Granted, I don't have a lot of material to work with these days but she did a fine job. Then, she asked if I wanted any gel. I said it was fine, and I thanked her and we went to pay.

   .........but that was a mistake.

  I sat on the street in my truck, with my head on the steering wheel thinking, why wouldn't I get the gel? Firstly, if you put your trust in a good looking young woman to make you more attractive, and she suggests that a dob of gel might aid in that effort, why not take her up on it? What have you got to lose? Second, I'm not exactly sure just how much longer I'm going to have enough hair to schmeer a bit of hair gel into. It's not like I use it everyday but occasionally, I do use the gel. More often than not, when I have the gel in my hair, I feel pretty darned stylish and good about myself. Why wouldn't I get the gel? Lastly, when we went to pay, turns out that I had been one haircut away from the free one on the places loyalty plan and I got the haircut for free. FREE! But by then it was too late to say, "hey, on second though, hit me up with a little gel."

So I left, satisfied with my new haircut but disappointed that I didn't get the gel. Why wouldn't I get the gel? 

  The gel is a little like life. Why not take advantage of the little things?  The things that seem inconsequential, but if you follow through on them, they might just make you feel better about yourself. Make you feel like you're the full meal deal. Master of your universe. Passing it up is like getting an ice cream sundae and saying, "hold the cherry." It's still an ice cream sundae, but it's not a complete ice cream sundae. Yesterday the gel way my cherry, and I passed it up. That's been bothering me a bit. Plus, you just never know when the whole shebang is going to be for free. I'm going to try to take more advantage of little things like that.

  .............This morning, first thing, I used a little dab of hair gel. Today my ice cream sundae is complete. I'm headed out to meet the day with confidence. Just maybe, if I'm lucky, I might come across a handful of sprinkles. And I'll use them! Cause I'm awesome that way.

 This week I'm entered, once again, at Dude Write. I invite you to visit the site, read the posts, and leave a few comments. But most importantly, come back to vote on you favorite three. Check it out here