In a different world?

I don't know if any of you ever encounter this situation but I do often ... especially if I don't plan ahead. I get to this point where all of a sudden I just can't stand my hair anymore and I need a haircut. I mean I need a haircut NOW! It can't possibly wait one minute longer. As I've just moved I don't have a regular hairdresser or even a "regular" salon. The area where I've been staying is really close to this small shopping complex with a grocery store, craft store (can anyone guess why I was there?), Burlington coat factory and a few other shops. There was also a hair salon which was perfect as I had to get my haircut right that minute. My first clue that this was going to be something to write about should have been the sign - while in English there was also a second sign in Chinese. But pretty much every shop that's not a chain store in this neighbourhood has Chinese signage so I didn't think much of it. So I walk in... and everyone the shop stops what they are doing ... and there is silence... absolute silence. Okay.... well I'm here anyways so I charge right ahead. "Do you have any openings for a haircut?" Still silence and finally one lady speaks up. "Yes, sure. Come in and sit down". So I sit down and wait for a bit ... Finally the same lady says it will be 20 minutes and hands me a stack of hairstyle magazines. I'm to pick one that I want... okay... I can do that. "Oh, yes", she says "he doesn't speak English, so picture important." Okay... English isn't necessary for a good haircut... this should be very interesting. All I could think is "What have I gotten myself into... and how bad could it be". Once I picked out a style, I got a fantastic head massage as the lady washed my hair. While she was washing my hair she was trying to assure me that he (Peter) gets many English speaking clients. Maybe she sensed my uneasiness? Time for the cut... I don't think I've ever had a silent hair cut before. It was very different experience... not unpleasant, just different. The hair cut was really good so all's well that ends well... and as I'm just about to leave I get a subtle reminder that I am indeed getting older "oh yes... next time we color your hair to get rid of grey".