Cutting Any Potential Mix-Ups Short

(I work in a salon. A woman comes in sporting a large hat that covers most of her hair; what sticks out looks terrible.)

Woman: “I’m looking to get my haircut like this picture.”

Stylist: “Um, that’s a guy with a really short cut.”

Woman: “Exactly.”

Stylist: “Well, let me see.”

(He leads her to a chair and she removes her hat. Her hair is completely a mess; it’s scissored randomly, mostly super short, and then longish in other places.)

Stylist: “Oh, jeez. What happened with that hair? Did someone hurt you? Do you need police?”

Woman: “No, I cut my hair so you can cut it the way I want, immediately. It was at the middle of my back, and the last time I wanted it this short the stylist wasted a lot of time cutting it way too long with me yelling at him.”

Stylist: “…”

Woman: “…”

Stylist: “I see… You butchered your hair because men like me can be sexist and won’t cut that way.”

Woman: “Exactly.”

Stylist: “Well. I admit it. I was thinking of asking you to consider longer lengths.”

Woman: “Well, it’s out of the question now. Cut it exactly like the picture, please.”