Uptown Barbers Shop (Mount Pleasant) – Guest post by @DanHaves

An odd curiosity of infidelity is the frequent scenario in which you hear a reaction like “he cheated on her with her?” You can, of course, mix and match the personal pronouns.

Well, today, I cheated on my hairdresser. And some might say “you cheated on her with him?”

I had been going to a great hair salon on Broadway, just off of Main – Karynne Renn and Andie Maddalozzo’s Bangs Salon – but the $45 for a haircut was proving too costly. By no means are they overcharging; Karynne gives an excellent haircut (and free advice on raising kittens!). But when money is tight, vanity has to be the first thing to go.

So I slinked on down the street to a little place called Uptown Barbers Shop at Main and 8th. You’d probably walk right past this place on most days. Dimly light on the inside, and wedged into a stretch of road that includes a very bizarre jukebox store and the controversial Fox Cinema. It’s certainly not the first place you’d look for a haircut.

Prepared to slum it, as it were, I walked in with my head on a swivel – I didn’t want anyone seeing me being unfaithful.

A friendly Frenchman sat me down in a vintage barbershop chair facing the street and he began to snip away. After a few moments of anxiety – what if Karynne was to walk by? – I was able to enjoy the view of one of the oldest intersections in Mount Pleasant. Some people might be put off by not facing the mirror while receiving hair surgery, but I quite liked the suspense. Plus, I passed the time wondering what it would have been like to live here in 1908.

With very few back and forths, my haircut was done, and a fine haircut it was. A little shorter than what I was used to, but a solid cut for a good price ($16).

At Uptown Barber, if you can look past its dingy interior and interesting collection of neighbours, you’ll get a no-nonsense haircut without breaking the bank.

As for me, I thanked the barber (I neglected to get his name) and performed a modified version of the walk of shame, imagining all the things I would say to Karynne when she inevitably finds out about my infidelity.

If you’re out there, Karynne. I hope you understand. Think of all the money I can spend on my kitten now.

Dan Haves is a photographer and journalist, and his website is located here. Thanks Dan for the guest post!