Trouble in Hawleywood

From 5.25.07

Here's the set-up: I get my hair cut at Hawleywood's Barber Shop & Shaving Parlor on 4th St. in Long Beach. 4th Street has a nice row of vintage clothing and furniture shops, and Hawleywood's fits right in there. Like all good barbershops, they've got five chairs and only use three of them at any one time. The first time I went in there was in their first week of opening; I got a great cut(and a shave) and have gone back every time.

The first time I went in, I was a walk-in appointment and a real slick, cool dude named Caesar cut my hair. Yesterday I made an appointment for 11 AM with Caesar, looking forward to the experience as always. It's nice to be able to look forward to a haircut, right? I think so.

Sooooo…today at quarter til 11, I walk down the street to Hawleywood's, round the corner into the shop and see that it's dark and closed. I could have sworn they open at 9 AM on weekdays. The shop faces a vintage clothing store and I see one of the barbers in there fucking around with the cute owner girl, and I notice there are a few other dudes just hanging out on the sidewalk.

"Are you guys open?" I ask.
"Yeah we're open! We just need the keys to get in!" Omar turns to another greaser that works there, "Man, when Caesar gets here I'm going to knock his teeth out."
"Who's going to cut my hair then?"
"Are you his 9 AM appointment?"
"No, I'm 11."
Another guy from the sidewalk pipes up, "I'm his nine o'clock."
Omar points to the biker that just pulled up, "Are you here for Caesar?"
"Naw, I'm here for you."
"Motherfucker. I could've cut all of your hair by now!"

After another ten minutes mostly fucking with the girl in the vintage shop and her husband(?) who is unloading his van, one of the other tattooed barbers shows up with his boxer puppy and the keys to the shop. Let's get this cut-show on the barber-road!

The tattooed puppy guy, who introduces himself as Justin, is nice enough to stay and cut my hair, while Omar takes care of Caesar's 9 AM appointment. I'm happy because I'm getting a nice haircut, and while I like Caesar, reliability is nice in a barber too.

While Justin was cutting my hair, Omar was railing on their intern(yes, they have an intern) to keep calling Caesar and find out where he is so they can knock his teeth out, all the while figuring out diabolical pranks to play on him like leaving all his barber equipment out on the sidewalk or "putting powder in his blow dryer."

"Wait a second," I said. "Isn't THAT punishing the customer?"
"Yeah, but then the customer will get up and knock Caesar's teeth out!"
Everyone laughs….and so do I.

I got a great haircut from Justin, who also gave me a comb and a sticker(SWAG!). Sure, my ex-regular barber didn't show up and they locked themselves out of the barbershop for two hours, but I'm still going back, if only to see the blood and teeth sprayed across the sidewalk out front.