Happy...Summer?
Summer is here this week, so says my calendar. It's green out, flowers are blooming, and it's 14 degrees.
The last few months have been very busy in the barbershop, and I'm incredibly grateful to all of you, and I appreciate your telling friends and neighbours to come down for a cut. You're the best. The collective best.
People are getting their summer cuts, the passing of winter brought everyone out of hibernation and into the barbershop to freshen up. I'd say it's the weather, but that's kinda half of it? It's just around the corner. A long, uphill corner.
We've waited patiently. Staring out the window like we're waiting for an Amazon package because we got an email saying it's "on the way!", getting excited at every white Ford Transit that drives by. Or waiting for the cable guy to come Monday between 9-5 but it's now 8:00 Wednesday. But you can't get mad when they come or they may give you slower internet because they have that power and they don't take no crap.
That's what it's like waiting for summer to arrive. It came earlier last year, what gives? Is it El Niño/Niña? Is it George Soros? Is it simply the end times?
Summer in Central Alberta is like an Every-Other-Weekend Dad. He's not here often, but when he is, oh, we love him so much. Kinda wish we had a dad like those lucky kids a few blocks south of us though, he's always early and sticks around for a long time. That would be sweet. Welp, gotta make the most of what we have, because Winter is like an eager stepdad who is always there because he lives us but we wish he would just go away. He claims to be fun, but his idea of fun suuuuuucks. Yeah, we can still go fishing, but it's just not the same, Bill.
We sit on the step with our fishing pole and sleeping bag waiting for Every-Other-Weekend Dad to come by and take us camping. But he won pool league last night so, naturally, he went out and celebrated and by the time he rolls up in his Trans Am with the T-roof open, hours late, he won't take off his sunglasses. Some call it Heroin Chic, could be Dive Bar Cool. He's just so cool. Ratty sleeveless tee under his scuffed leather jacket, he's even got a goatee. And an earring. He winces as he slams the door and flicks his cigarette butt on the lawn and there's a woman getting out of shotgun who we've never seen before. She smells like hairspray and Malibu Rum, and dad introduces her not by name but as our new stepmom and sorry champ, camping won't work today but next time for sure. 'Sposedta rain anyway. He says he's got "meetings" all day but also hasn't had a job in quite some time. He rustles our hair and tells New Stepmom they'd better make tracks before our mom comes out. Last cheque bounced but it was the bank's fault. We pick up our stuff, shoulders slumped, and go back up to our room and hear the Trans Am peel out, gears grinding, the RPMs reaching octaves to match the Eddie Van Halen solo coming from the speakers, New Stepmom laughing. Mom and Bill are whispering in the hallway, maybe we'll go for ice cream, at least.
IMPORTANT!
I will be away from July 14-22nd, so plan accordingly! If that's your usual haircut week, let me know and we can do before or after.
So, not much in the way of "news" in this newsletter, I'm just trying to get my money's worth. End of June is always crazy, more graduations, people getting cleaned up before summer vacation. Better get in now, or wait until July when there's so much space. You know what? Do both!
Keep fit, have fun, stay warm.
Your Second Favourite Barber,
Seth