The 2 hour haircut-massage

Last week, I had almost a 2hr haircut for 3.73 American dollars (28 kuai here). This extravaganza included an hour long massage (head, neck, shoulders, arms, hands and back). I remember haircutting included complimentary massages from my first hair cut here in 2001. But you know what was especially momentous about this haircut was when my hair was washed, I was actually lying down on the massage table and there is a sink just past where my head was placed. It was funny because she washed my hair first, but by the time my massage was complete, my hair had dried so she had to rinse my hair again for the haircut. My last hair cut was in May in Brasil under similar not sharing-the-same-language- circumstances. Leave it to me to show up at the salon not even knowing how to say "haircut"! But though the wonders of pantomiming and showing them pictures of what I liked, mission accomplished. The establishment was hoping! It was a Saturday night and their hours daily go until 10:30pm and I was there until 9:15pm, having arrived around 7:30pm or so. I think my massage went longer since they were backed up, she kept checking with the stylist and then the massage would continue to proceed. In addition to the stylists and masseuses, there are these Hair Holding Individuals. They sit in chairs behind the stylist and then when he blow dries hair, they spring into action and hold sections of hair in place while he wields and yields the blow drier. I couldn't help but be amused, thinking, hey, hair clips could be used here, but we can use this young little feller instead. Labor, oh labor, China style. They were a very friendly bunch and I think the next time I have a few hours and feel like getting a free massage and being fawned over by a fleet of Chinese haircutting crews, I am definitely going back!