I was getting a haircut the other day and was reminded that here is a situation that calls for conversation. Dialogue. I am not much of a conversationalist, so sustained discourse is a challenge for anyone who gets me for a customer.
Let me clarify- I can talk breathlessly about certain things in certain settings, but I am miles beyond feeling the need for small talk and could, with little discomfort, sit silently for the ten minutes it takes to cut my hair.
I guess this colors me lazy and boring, maybe even snobbish and cold. I mean no disrespect, but engaging in idle banter for ten minutes- well, I do it, but I could easily not do it.
I appreciate those who cut and style hair for a living. It is a calling all its own, because on a daily basis these folks encounter a mix of familiar faces and strangers with whom they must interact, if only to increase their chances of receiving a tip.
In any event, I don’t see this being a job for introverts.
