the long and short of it

So I've been putting off cutting my hair for far too long now even though there's a hairdresser a stone's throw away from my apartment. But I refuse to go there for the same reason I refuse to go to many of the hairdressers in France; they practice a kind of hair discrimination.

There's a price for men, and there are two prices for women - one for long and short hair. The price for people who choose to have long hair is about 10 euros more. I know 10 euros is not alot of money but it's the principle of it. What accounts for the price difference? More elbow extension required by the hairdresser?

So about two Saturdays ago I set out to cut my hair at the same price as it would cost one with short hair. I started in my neighborhood and went down towards a more price conscience neighborhood, Place de Clichy. The further I walked the further the prices dropped as I had predicted. What I hadn't predicted, however, was the disparity between the short and long haired increasing.

It seemed as though cutting long hair was a fixed price and cutting short hair is variable. Is long hair a commodity item and short hair vunerable to supply and demand? Perplexed I continued towards Pigalle.

Where I couldn't find any hairdressers. Perhaps nobody wanted to cut their hair next to a shop that sells latax chaps and leather whips (although apparently people have no qualms about eating next to one).

Before turning back and giving up on my quest I happened down a less touristy street and found a hairdresser decorated in red velvet and victorian gold trimming. Inside was a flamboyant bald hairdresser laughing with a well to do older woman in a fur coat. Next to the window were yellow and red parakeets in a green cage that match the decor.

Although tempted to be part of the fabulousness, I mentally calcuated the overhead price of flamboyancy and birdfood and turned around to leave instead. There, across the street I spotted another hairdresser. "Women 31 euros" was written on the window. There was no mention of the length of hair. Tired and ready to move on with my life I entered.

The receptionist washed my hair and the hairdresser wearing a busy button down shirt (he refrained from using the top buttons to reveal his "too dark to be natural in winter Paris" tan) gave me a five minute haircut and then proceeded burn my scalp a little in his overzealous efforts to give my hair volume.

He held up the mirror to show me the result and I politely nodded my approval even though even someone like me is aware that the volumous asymetrical hairsyle he gave me looks ridiculous with sweatshirt and jeans.

I went to the counter to pay. 41 euros.

You can't beat the system.