Does any guy look forward to a haircut? Can’t be many. It’s a chunk of time out of your day, and you could come out with a worse look than you had when you went in, and for sure it will be shorter and people will say silly things like, “Got a haircut, huh?”

And past a certain age, you like it even less, because you have to confront the idea that you don’t have nearly as much hair to cut as you once did. I constantly am surprised by how much less hair I have, and how old I am. You’d think I’d have a good grasp on both; I do not.

I tend, then, to stick with the same barbers, even if they are not very good. Because whatever their last haircut was, I didn’t hate it so much that I didn’t leave the house for a week. And generally that’s enough for me.

But I decided to make a switch this time, going back to the shop downtown that I frequented for much of our first year here.

For a couple of reasons:

1. The Pakistani barbers I had been going to just up the street from where we live in the Hadbat Al Zaafranah neighborhood, had been mailing it in. Mailing in my haircuts. I literally was not in there for more than 10 minutes. They were not good about cleaning up the little things around the ears. Plus, I felt like they not only didn’t care if I was there, they preferred I was not. So, yes, not competent, not trying and not friendly … that’s what it takes to get me to change barbers.

2. I remembered the barbers at the Electra Gentlemen’s Saloon to actually take some time and make at least a slight effort at being friendly. I don’t know it’s a cultural thing (Pakistani barber methodology vs. Bangladeshi barber methodology), but they were much more careful and thorough. To the point that I was willing to spend the extra 30 minutes fighting traffic around downtown … and spending the extra 50 dirhams ($12.50) to get there and back.

I didn’t recognize any of the guys cutting hair. They seem to have cycled out the previous guys, but I hadn’t made two steps inside the door when a little guy was extending a hand, smiling and directing me to his chair.

He then spent at least 15 minutes, maybe 20, puttering around with my hair. Lots of scissors stuff, which I associate with a good haircut. The careful use of a razor blade for areas around the ears and at the nape of the neck.

And then the curious but enjoyable practice of palpitating the scalp and massaging the eyebrows … and about five minutes with an industrial-sized vibrating machine to massage my shoulders and upper back. The application of the machine, even on the other side of a thick towel draped over my shoulders, can make you feel vaguely as if your internal organs are being shaken loose from their moorings, but still …

And the whole experience cost me the same Dh15 ($4) that the negligent Pakistanis were charging. I tipped my guy Dh10 (2.70), and he seemed pleased enough, as I was.

So that’s that. I will just set aside the time to wade uptown for a haircut by a guy who is interested in repeat customers … and give up the 10-minute-walk-from-home guys who can’t be bothered to try.