re: Anyone else absolutely loathe small talk while getting a haircut

It depends on the company and conversation. If I'm in an old school barber shop that still gives you the hot towel & shave on the neck, pretty good chance you're gonna hear some good jokes and one-liners from a white haired old man and that has a million stories. If I'm in a Fantastic Sams and some old fat broad is just trying to ask me what I'm up to today or my weekend plans, I'm not interested in explaining my life to a stranger.