Background: Originally published July 26, 2006. Thom Martin, otherwise known as "The Fabulous Mr. Thom" is a Medford native who went on to promote himself as the "stylist to the stars." Mr. Thom was a stylist for countless actors and actresses over the years, before he returned to Medford. I had the pleasure of making Mr. Thom's acquaintance when I worked at KOBI-TV from 2004-2007. Mr. Thom operated a hair salon at his South Stage Road bed and breakfast in Medford, before the business burned to the ground.
Going to get a haircut can be like going to the dentist. You never know when you'll feel compelled to say, "ouch, that hurts." (Even if it is only saying it to yourself.) Don't get me wrong. I appreciate the person who cuts my hair. Just as I know my dentist will give me an honest assessment of my teeth, I can rely on my hair stylist to also tell it like it is.
I usually have to wait awhile at his salon, but I don't mind. Considering that he's willing to schedule appointments with me after I get off work at 7:00p.m., who am I to complain? Besides, I never know whom I might run into at his salon.
One day, I met the brother of a Medford-area lady who recently appeared on The Apprentice. Another time, I witnessed the $340 million Powerball winners at his salon; the wife received a makeover, while the elderly husband received his first-ever manicure. During my last appointment, one of the prosecutors from the Jackson County District Attorney's office had been scheduled right before me.
After I sat in the chair and everyone else had left, my stylist engaged me in a conversation. He told me one of his employees had seen me on the news. The stylist told me I shouldn't always wear white shirts that make me look like I've been wearing the same shirt the past 13 years.
"Ouch, that hurts."
But I tried to explain to my stylist there was a reason for that. White went well with anything. It was much easier to color-coordinate dress jackets and ties on a daily basis if I didn't throw colored shirts into the mix.
"No," that didn't make a difference, according to my stylist. Nobody pays attention to matching ties and shirts nowadays, anyway. I suddenly pictured a checkered tie with a striped shirt, but before I could bring up that point, my stylist told me if there was a problem, then I didn't need to wear a tie.
"But wait a minute," I countered. Ties convey a sense of professionalism. I can't abandon the time-honored custom of wearing a tie to help add a sense of authority to my presence. Once again, my stylist said it didn't matter. Get some shirts with color and don't worry about the ties.
"Ouch, that hurts."
After we exhausted the list of things that I could do to improve my wardrobe, my stylist whipped out a couple of white packets with the inscription "dark sunsation, very dark/tres fonce." (Who can argue about the merits of anything packaged in French?)
"But wait a minute," I countered. Why did I need a self-tanner? I already wear pancake mix make-up on the air. In fact, it's one of the darkest shades that Max Factor produces.
"But you need this (self-tanner) all day" so you don't look all washed out in pubic, my stylist responded.
"Ouch, that hurts."
To help ease the pain, my stylist offers complimentary glasses of wine to his clients. Too bad I don't drink. But that's okay. I always appreciate candid face-to-face feedback from others. At least my stylist doesn't charge as much as my dentist, who now says I need hundreds of dollars of periodontal work.
"Ouch, that hurts."
No comments:
Post a Comment