I am a masochist
Today I went to my favorite new salon spa. My hair stylist is a cuttingly gorgeous French man, who has very accurate but unfavorable observations on the average American.
The first time I visited his domain the man looked at me with disdain as I skulked in wearing my usual early morning weekend outfit of whatever was closest to the bed on the floor and unbrushed hair. I thought I was disheveled sexy, he thought I was a crazy homeless person who wandered in off the street.
The first time he cut my hair I was treated to a 90 minute monologue on how Americans have no sense of style and dress like pigs or as if they were going to feed pigs (due to his heavy accent I may have missed the exact phrase). After paying a king's ransom for the removal of about three millimeters of hair I walked out feeling unworthy and wanting to go back.
Today's subject was American workers and how they expect their bosses to be their psychiatrist or family. Monsieur Hotness regaled me with tales of the many employment applications he has received demanding two hour lunches, three day work weeks, and flex time. He is so disgusted he has decided to work alone seven days a week for roughly 12 hours a day. The only other employee is a fantastic aesthetician from Eastern Europe, who is also stunningly beautiful and appears to work the same grueling schedule as Monsieur Hotness. I can't help thinking he may have made the right choice.
Everytime I leave his salon, I feel slightly ashamed, a bit self-conscious, and humbled...I can't wait to go back in two weeks.
The first time I visited his domain the man looked at me with disdain as I skulked in wearing my usual early morning weekend outfit of whatever was closest to the bed on the floor and unbrushed hair. I thought I was disheveled sexy, he thought I was a crazy homeless person who wandered in off the street.
The first time he cut my hair I was treated to a 90 minute monologue on how Americans have no sense of style and dress like pigs or as if they were going to feed pigs (due to his heavy accent I may have missed the exact phrase). After paying a king's ransom for the removal of about three millimeters of hair I walked out feeling unworthy and wanting to go back.
Today's subject was American workers and how they expect their bosses to be their psychiatrist or family. Monsieur Hotness regaled me with tales of the many employment applications he has received demanding two hour lunches, three day work weeks, and flex time. He is so disgusted he has decided to work alone seven days a week for roughly 12 hours a day. The only other employee is a fantastic aesthetician from Eastern Europe, who is also stunningly beautiful and appears to work the same grueling schedule as Monsieur Hotness. I can't help thinking he may have made the right choice.
Everytime I leave his salon, I feel slightly ashamed, a bit self-conscious, and humbled...I can't wait to go back in two weeks.
posted by Anomie-Atlanta at Sunday, October 15, 2006
6 Comments:
We actually have studied work ethics in some of our recruiting seminars and then Gen Xers really do want a work life balance and are looking for that job that gives them flexibility; sometimes it is not about being lazy Americans as much as having too much on our plates and putting family right up there with work. It was an interesting class, and if you want, we can sign up Monsieur Politcale for one ;)
Sounds like church....all the guilt, all the shame....see you next wekk?
I am sure the three millimeters is worth it. Reading that almost makes me want to shave my head again.....
Don't listen to those French people! Yes many of their observations may be correct, but what are they doing here if it's so freakin great in France? I would know, I'm French for godsakes and would much rather live in the US than France(of course I love France, it's my heritage, but ya know...)
Interesting that he was telling you how workers want their bosses to be their psychiatrists. Isn't he doing what he's decrying?
Can you imagine moving to France, getting your citizenship then cutting hair in Paris and ranting about how silly all the French were? Then expect a tip?
He would have to be handsome!
I have carte blanche to say this because I'm French. I'm pretty sure arrogance is in my blood.
I think your hairstylist migth talk like that because of the mentaly of the country he was raised in. Cuz, not offence to you, being raise in Canada, still living here too, I found USA to be too much capitalist. But I know that if USA was not, we'll probably be poor as hell, cuz we will be out of bussiness.
And like some of my fellow blogger, I don,t find French people to be arrogant. Being an Acadian myself, I know we are reknowed for our warmness.
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