The Story So Far ...

We said farewell to our work friends at the RSPCA and BBC on 14 September, farewell to our families on 3 October, and set off for Africa to save cheetahs, decorate school buildings, and look around a bit. After a trip home for Christmas, we headed for South East Asia on 6 January -- where we were stunned by Qatar and Cambodia, taught novice monks in Laos, and acted as security guards at an Elephant Festival. It was back home for four weeks to look after John's dad, before we tangoed our way through five South American countries in fifteen days. We then snooped our way through New Zealand, dipped our toes into Fiji, drove-thru California and were home from home with family in Vancouver.

Now, we are home itself. Fulfilled, happy, and ready to earn the respect of our friends and family by knuckling down and earning some money once again ...

Tuesday, 16 November 2010

A Close Shave in Cape Town

Before
During


After.  You don't mess with Matty. 

For a journalist, I can be pretty slow with words sometimes.  The sign in the barber's window was in perfectly large print.  It stated clearly:  "Scalp Shave: 100 Rand".

The clue, I discovered, was to be in the words "scalp" and "shave".  I'd had in mind for some time going edgy with a "number one" clipper trim David Beckham look, and this was my moment.  I took the plunge.  After about ninety seconds in the barber's chair, my lap was cluttered with clumps of mousey hair, and Matty the 70 year old Portuguese barber was tidying away his clippers.  Hmm, quite expensive for a few moments work, I thought, but looking up, I was pretty pleased.  Yes, I did look a bit Beckhamy.  It had been worth the risk!

Matty looked confused as I got up to go, at the same moment he reached for the cut-throat razor.  Henry just smirked.  "You've paid for a scalp shave, not a mere number one clipper trim!!!" Matty informed me gleefully, "and you're going to get what you paid for!!!  Your head's going to look like your bottom the day you were born!!!"  And yes, there were multiple exclamation marks in his tone.

Thirty minutes of soap suds and sheer shaving later, I acknowledged he had earned his money.  My head gleamed like a freshly laid egg, leaving me to count the hours until the stubble delivered me the look I'd been actually been aiming for.   Memo to self: read the large print when getting a close shave.

John

2 comments:

  1. I wouldn't hold your breath if you are waiting to look like Beckham.....but I will agree that you do indeed look like your bottom did on August 20th, 1963 at approximately 1 pm

    ReplyDelete
  2. forgive me Johnnie 1966....(one's second child never gets the same attention)

    ReplyDelete