Dec 05, 1998
RAY: A fellow's driving across the desert from Salt Lake City to Janet Reno, Nevada. He happens to look in the rear view mirror, and says, "Yikes!" He realizes he's in urgent need of a haircut. So, he gets off at Exit 321, which is between Winnemucca and Elko.
He finds himself in beautiful downtown Horsetown, Nevada. Where there are, of course, two barbershops.
He strolls past barbershop number one and looks in the window. There are no customers in the shop. It's kind of messy. Even the barber looks kind of messy. He's unshaven, he's got a rumpled shirt on, there's hair on the floor, and his haircut is lousy.
The guy thinks, "Maybe I should check out the other joint." So, he moseys along and arrives at barbershop number two and looks in that window. It looks terrific. It's nice and clean. The mirrors are clean and shiny, there's no hair on the floor. The barber looks neat and well groomed. He's got a good haircut.
The question is, which barbershop does he select for his haircut?
RAY: Why does he go to the first barbershop, the one that was messy, and disgusting, and lousy haircut? He goes there because it's clear that each barber gives the other one his haircut.
So, the guy that has the great haircut...
TOM: He's getting it from the other guy!
RAY: Right. He's getting it from the slob-- the guy with the rumpled shirt and the hair on the floor. That's the barber that he wants to go to, to get his hair cut.