A barbershop is a good place to get the temperature of the locals. Like about this Sunday morning’s time change to daylight saving time.
It’s not a scientific study but they’ll tell you what they know and what they believe to be correct — based on what their customers tell them.
Glen Chavez says of the 100-plus daily patrons who visit Trujillo’s Barbershop — just a five-minute walk from the Capitol in Cheyenne — the overwhelming majority want the semi-annual time change to stop.
But, it never does. Nothing ever happens, the barber laments.
“It’s kind of pathetic that our politicians won’t listen to us because we have wanted the time change to go away for how long now,” Chavez said. “And they won’t listen to us.”
He says a majority of his customers tell him they want it to stay lighter longer. Once daylight saving time is implemented, lock the clock.
Don’t Move It Back
For Chavez and his colleague Rich Trujillo, something needs to be done so the clocks aren’t moved back an hour in October. Pronto.
“Daylight saving time needs to be made permanent,” Chavez bellowed from across the barbershop, drowning out whatever Trujillo, a more soft-spoken barber, was attempting to say.
Don’t Look To The Oval
For those looking for a presidential push to end the time change, think again.
Although President Trump was gung-ho about eliminating daylight saving time in December, he appears to have had a change of thought.
Trump told reporters on Thursday that he’s unlikely to get involved now.
“It’s a 50/50 issue, and if something is a 50/50 issue, it’s hard to get excited about it,” Trump said. “I assumed people would like to have more light later, but some people want to have more light earlier because they don’t want to take their kids to school in the dark.”
“It’s something I can do, but a lot of people like it one way. A lot of people like it the other way,” he continued. “It’s very even. And usually I find when that’s the case, what else do we have to do?”
Weeks Of Misery
News of Trump’s decision to stand down disappointed Chavez, who immediately predicted weeks of misery ahead.
“It takes me forever to get acclimated to it,” he said. “I’m dragging, I’m lethargic, and I’m like ‘here we go again.’”
Trujillo rolled his eyes while grinning at his colleague’s exasperation.
The Sunshine Protection Act
There was movement to “lock the clock” three years ago. The U.S. Senate passed the bill to make daylight saving time permanent by unanimous consent in 2022.
But the bill died because it was never heard in the House.
Both Wyoming Sens. John Barrasso and Cynthia Lummis supported the ill-fated bill.
One Other Barber
Marcus Gallizzi, the third barber in the shop late on Friday, said he actually “enjoys” the time change and is an advocate for keeping things as they are.
“I’m looking forward to getting more sunshine and then I like that extra hour to sleep-in in the fall,” Gallizzi said. “I like it.”
Chavez just couldn't let that stand.
“He’s just stirring things up,” Chavez yelled. “He's doing it on purpose to get a rise out of me. There’s always gotta be one.”
Jimmy Orr can be reached at jimmy@cowboystatedaily.com.
