there's privacy, and then there's paranoia.....

I get my hair cut at one of those upscale places. You know, the kind of place that has "Clips" in its name. The kind of place that yells a welcome in your general direction when you walk in the door. The kind of place where the manager is anyone who's been there more than 3 months.

One of the first things they ask for when you walk in the door is your phone number. That's how they identify you. No big deal.

I was waiting to get my hair cut Tuesday afternoon when a gentleman came through the door. Here's how his greeting went:

Stylist: "Hi, welcome to Great Clips! Could I get your phone number?"

Guy: "I'm sorry, I don't give out my phone number."

My first thought was that he was making a joke. He wasn't. I could tell when the stylist laughed and he didn't laugh back.

Stylist: "OK, could I get your last name?"

Guy: <muffled snicker> "I don't give that out either."

The stylist had this stunned look on her face. I'm sitting there considering this to be free theater and I'm in the front row just loving it. The stylist didn't know what to do. She couldn't input a phone number or a last name. She stood there, hand hovering over the keyboard, frozen.

Guy: "Just call me 'Steve'."

I know everyone should take precautions when it comes to protecting their identity. But to refuse to give your phone number or last name? How Oliver Stone of him.....