I met the Governor!

On Friday night, I got to go to an event that was a fundraiser for Teach for America. 

Remember my friend Brad from Dispatch?  One of the really cool things about Dispatch is that they do things to raise money for social causes when they tour.  So this summer they picked education as their cause, and did a book drive, and then chose lots of different non-profits, all having to do with education (there was one that had a farm that raised organic produce for school lunches…it was cool).  Anyway, as part of that, Brad did this event for Teach for America, and I got to go.  It was super-fun.  They had 80s cover bands and then Brad emceed and played a couple of songs.  A big group of my friends went, and it was just a great party.

After the main show, there was a VIP event, where Brad played a full set.  Even though I had to work so early the next day, I decided to go.  I was having so much fun that I didn’t want to quit.  So I went to the VIP event, and just as Brad got up to go onstage, the Governor walked in.

The governor of Colorado was formerly the mayor of Denver.  When he became the mayor, back in the early 2000’s, I was obsessed with cutting his hair.  He has remarkably bad hair.  I had talked about it a lot, with friends, clients, anyone who would listen.  Some of my male clients talked about how they used to see him at their barber at the Brown Palace.

I was sitting there listening to Brad play, and the Governor moved to where he was standing just to my right.  I decided that now was my chance.  I had had just enough beer that I felt very brave, but not enough that I was the annoying drunk chick.  I grabbed a card from my purse, and stood up and introduced myself.

I told him that I had been waiting for this chance since he had become mayor, and that I had been a hairstylist for 12 years and an American Crew Educator for five.  I told him that I could do a great job with his hair and that I would cut it for free.  He immediately responded by saying that it would break his current barber’s heart.  I told him, “Yeah, I have several clients that used to go to him, at the Brown Palace.” (So I had obviously done my research, which he appreciated.)  This changed the way the conversation went.  It ended with him complimenting me on my business building skills (something that meant a lot to me coming from this man, who is well-known as an amazing businessman and entrepreneur), and him telling me that he is always looking for a good deal (I told him that you can’t beat free), so it went from him giving me a definite “no” to a “maybe.”  I’ll keep you posted if he decides to book an appointment.

Altogether, it was a pretty exciting Friday night!

*What’s funny is that the other thing I’m constantly complaining about with him is that part of his platform for running for Mayor 10 years ago was that he was going to fix parking meters in Denver.  When I got to the VIP event I was complaining about having to put money in my parking meter after 10pm and that he should really fix it.  When I saw Brad later he asked what I was talking to him about because he was sure that I was giving him a hard time about the parking meters. (Mr. Governor, you owe me $1.25.)  I’ll just wait until he’s sitting in my chair for that.