Retired for Reals, Act 2, Day 1, Part 3

FYI, names have been changed to conceal the identity of those profiled.

Final stop of the day, Supercuts. I’ve never been one to go in for expensive haircuts. Supercuts serves my needs just fine (no comments, please). Because I’m a spontaneous chassis maintainer, I don’t have a regular hairdresser – I get whomever I get, depending on who’s working that day. Monday it was Sadie. Cut. Wax.

Originally I wasn’t sure that she’d be the best hairdresser for me. Her style and mine are worlds apart. Sadie has tats everywhere I could see (and probably where I can’t, as well). Not that there’s anything wrong with tattoos, I got one myself when I was fresh out of high school, but mine is so discreet I forget it’s there.

I tried to find a photo of someone resembling Sadie and this was as close as I could get. It looks a little like her except Sadie’s hair is not green, but dark brown.

I really wanted to ask if she had experience in mature haircuts, but wasn’t looking to stir the pot. And then I remembered how I wanted to be open to new things that day. So, what the heck. I just sat in her chair and acted like it never ocurred to me that we’re different.

As she began waxing my eyebrows, I was surpised at how soft Sadie’s touch was. She applied the hot wax, set the strips, and pulled them off delicately removing peach fuzz and unsightly facial hair. That never happens. She shampooed my hair like she’d harnessed a team of butterflies to dance across my scalp. She didn’t grind the back of my head into the porcelain basin either. I really appreciated that.

I learned that Sadie lived in Hawaii when she was younger, but has only recently moved back from the South after a divorce. She lives with her parents. She has a boyfriend and looks forward to moving on with her life, but for now cutting hair at Supercuts suits her just fine.

I complimented her on one particularly delicate elbow tattoo and she said the others are Marvel characters. I may have said that the colors are very attractive, I don’t remember. They are. On Sadie.

When I asked her the one thing I really wanted to know – why she cuts hair – she told me and I was touched. The girl has a heart of gold.

When Sadie was in high school, she was bullied. It made her feel better about herself to look good. She loves doing hair because of how it makes her customers feel – especially those who are unlovely and bullied themselves – when they look good. She enjoys seeing the transformation and knowing that her work is responsible. Sadie is compassionate. She’s gentle. Not what I expected at all.

I had Sadie in a box. She taught me more than one thing I didn’t know. All in all, what a great time I had at Supercuts with a most lovely young woman. There is, however, one thing in particular I would share with her if she were interested. Click on the link and check it out. Perhaps another day.

Monday, the first day of the rest of my life, was a stellar Red Letter Day. I overcame and empowered myself at the range, met Cord and had a delicous lunch at Market Street, and left Supercuts feeling pretty darn good about my chassis. I had not one drop of guilt for being less than productive, for being unemployed.

So after Monday, I’m full-on retired. In the 2nd Act of my life. I could grow to love retirement even if every day is not quite the Red Letter Day this one was. Just in case, I think I’d better transfer some money. On second thought though, maybe I shouldn’t get used to it. The rest of my life just started and I’m on a fixed income. Snap!

#thebigshift #TeriFromOutWest