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Johnnie Wood greets Cassie Nichols, 74, at her Spotsylvania home. Wood recently started Johnnie Cuts My Hair, specializing in haircuts for people who have trouble getting out of the house.
Johnnie Wood cuts Nick Nichols' hair at his home in Spotsylvania. |
BY CATHY DYSON
For Johnnie Wood there's no greater joy than helping people on fixed incomes who have trouble getting out of their homes.
The Spotsylvania County man is willing to drive within a 25-mile radius of Fredericksburg to cut the hair of men and women who are elderly or disabled.
He's not interested in making a lot of money--he charges $10 a cut--or working full time. He's after a different payment.
"I'm an emotional feedback junkie," said the 56-year-old, who revels in the encouraging words he gets from customers. "It's really hard to express the feeling you get when someone really, really appreciates what you do, and they can't wait to see you again."
Wood got that feeling the first time he cut Nick Nichols' hair. Cassie Nichols, a neighbor in Wood's development for seniors, knew he was a barber and asked him to cut her husband's hair.
"When I got there," Wood said, "they were so excited to see me, and so grateful."
Wood has been going to the Nichols' living room, where he gives trims to 79-year-0ld Nick, ever since.
"I just don't know what we'd do without him," Cassie said. "We so appreciate him coming."
Her husband uses a walker in the house, but needs a wheelchair when he goes out. Getting him in and out of the house is tough, Cassie said.
"Especially when you get crippled a little bit," said Nick, who spent 20 years in the Air Force. "You can't get around as well."
Meanwhile, another customer at the barbershop where Wood worked asked if he knew anyone who went to people's homes to cut hair. Wood volunteered and got another happy reception.
"It was like a party environment, they were so glad to see me," he said.
Wood decided to make a career change--something he has done regularly since he retired from United Airlines in 2005. He was a flight attendant for 30 years, then worked briefly at Geico and Costco. He took classes to be a financial consultant and a nursing assistant.
Then he fell back on a skill he'd learned decades earlier: styling hair. He focused on barbering this time around, and spent almost two years at The Barber Shop & Co. on Plank Road.
This month, he left the shop to start his own business, Johnnie Cuts My Hair. With clippers and scissors, cape and spray bottle packed into a yellow-and-black toolbox, the barber is ready for the road.
He has a few clients and hopes word of mouth will spread enough that he'll feel productive. But he doesn't want to be so swamped that he can't visit his grandchildren in Seattle or do volunteer work.
Wood sees the new endeavor as his mission. In addition to seniors and the disabled, he wants to help youth groups or sports teams trying to raise money.
For instance, he'll set up his hydraulic chair at a location for up to four hours and donate his services. The group sponsoring him could charge per cut and pocket the proceeds.
"I don't have a lot of money to give away, but I can do haircuts," he said.
Call Wood at 540/207-4199 for an appointment.
Cathy Dyson: 540/374-5425
Email: cdyson@freelancestar.com
