Covid Chronicles. Chapter 48: Haircut

 

Read chapter 47 here

Photo by Retiring Guy

Saturday, May 30, 2020 

On his first day back at work, Ron greeted me in the parking lot in front of his shop shortly before noon on Tuesday. It was time for my first haircut in four months. And I was certainly in need of one. 

As part of his social distancing protocols, customers wait in their cars until waved inside. Hartjes Dental Clinic takes a similar approach, the difference being that customers call when they arrive and then wait for a follow-up call or text to be allowed inside, which makes sense for them. Ron’s shop has just three employees, including him, and the clinic usually has three to four hygienists and two dentists, as well as two or three office staff behind the counter, working at the same time in a much larger space. Ron and the two employees who work for him can simply walk a few steps and stick their heads out the front door. 

As I headed toward the entrance, I fumbled to put on my mask, getting it tangled on the left side of the frames of my glasses. As I struggled to get it in place, the damaged piece I had recently superglued back in place snapped off again. A dumb move, but not a problem during my haircut as I don’t wear my glasses then, but they felt precariously perched on my nose during the drive home. The interior of Ron’s shop looks much the same as before except for the addition of numerous plexiglass barriers. The major and most notable difference was the use of masks, a requirement for service — with no exceptions — which is explained when customers make an appointment. Ron mentioned that a number of people have adamantly refused. 

“I’ve lost a few customers that way,” he explained. “But they’ll find out it’s the same at every other shop.” 

Trumpers. 

Actually, Ron knows that for a fact. He gets to know a lot about his customers during a 30-minute haircut every month or two. (I’m in the ‘two’ category.) 

What really peeves Ron – and infuriates Margaret – is that these stubborn customers know that he is recovering from open-heart surgery, yet they remain unwilling to take any precautions for his benefit. 

How even crazier this nation has become when a face mask becomes a political litmus test. 

Just a few hours into his workday, Ron looked fresh, as though he had more than enough energy in reserve to get through the entire day without having to push himself. After Ron and Margaret’s visit to our house last Sunday, JoAnna and I shared a concern about his readiness to go back to work. He looked wan and distracted and tended to be an observer rather than a participant in the conversation. I’m sure it had everything to do with his own internal debate about how things would work out going back to work two months after open-heart surgery. Tuesday was certainly a momentous day for him in that regard. 

Ron didn’t make an appearance at yesterday Usual Suspects Zoom happy hour. 

“He’s still at work,” Margaret reported a bit sourly. 

As she went on to explain, it’s been hard for him to say ‘no’ to customers, so he was booked through 7:00. and even scheduled appointments from 9:00 to 3:00 today. 

Margaret is concerned that Ron is doing too much too soon. 

“But he won’t listen to me,” she said resignedly.