Haircuts
A little while ago – the end of last year or so – I spotted a sign tied to a pole just near the Mill Street offramp onto De Waal Drive. It was typical of the kind of sign that the more desperate breed of housepainter or plumber daubs roughly onto an old piece of corrugated card to advertise his services, except this one said BOOBJOBS, followed by a cellphone number. Very funny.
Over the next little while, Paul and I started spotting more of this prankster’s signs all over the city, advertising services anomalous to the format of the sign, like LIFE COACHING, and FREE BREAST MILK, and SECRET CLUB, and (maybe more appropriately) THERAPEUTICAL HERBAL WEED.
I’d been dying to take a pic of one of these signs, but they were always in pretty inaccessable points on busy roads. And then, on Sunday afternoon, Destiny smiled on us. We were returning to town along Paradise Road, and we pulled to a stop at a red light. In my bag was my camera, and right next to my window was a brand new sign:
Would love to know if anyone has seen more of these, and if anyone has called the number (and booked a haircut).
Updates from readers about other signs spotted:
HUSBANDS
SEXY TIME
WHITE WITCH
ROMANTIC DATES
SWINGERS!
Lins
My boyfriend and I have been spotting these too, there’s another one that says HUSBAND. My boyfriend’s theory is that it’s someone who is very lonely and trying to get friends. My theory is that it’s someone’s ex putting their number up as a revenge thing. Either way it’s been fun spotting them! I’m too scared to call the number though.
Cecile
i saw one!!!!! Just as you go over Kloofnek towards camps bay there is a strange door that goes into the mountain on Lions head side(that i had never seen before), close to the bus stop. There was a sign up that said ‘for sale’ and some other details i cant remember- but i remember thinking, how weird! so cool to find out about more 🙂
Cecile
Just had another thought! Send this in to this competition:http://www.absa72.co.za/#/contribute
Ruan won some apple products yesterday (magic mouse, ext. harddrive etc) with something he sent in. if you win the ipad, you will have to pay me for the tip in tea towels 🙂
skinnylaminx
Thanks for the tip! Have just sent if off with a link to this blog post. xx
Lins
Update: We called the number and it went to voicemail. It’s some guy saying “Leave a message and we’ll call you back. We’ll probably call you back” or something along those lines.
diana
Hilarious! Is the telephone number always the same?
skinnylaminx
Haven’t managed to cross-check the phone number yet 🙂 x
diné
oh my gosh, i totally saw this and i forgot all about it! so bizarre 🙂
Julia Rosa
I think these are wonderful artworks. Glad you are documenting them, have also been enjoying them. Suspect it’s a artschool type- judging by the locations and subtle giveaway handwriting style. Have seen a few, but the one I loved for its subtlety was LIFE COUCHING, (not COACHING) spotted on Kloofnek! Did a double take and then kept thinking about its meaning for a few days after. Will they become become collector’s pieces?
skinnylaminx
Oh, I didn’t notice that – nice distinction. Wow, I could do with some life couching myself right now, actually…
xx
julochka
those are hilarious…even better that they’re totally crudely hand-painted. whoever it is, they have a great sense of humor. it makes me want to start putting up such signs in my area. 🙂
skinnylaminx
Do it!!! What a great alter ego to cultivate. xx
coelho
classic!
T
Oh my! I have been seeing these everywhere too! I live just off De Waal drive, will try and take a pic of the “Secret Club” poster. I also saw another one- “Tickets to Heaven” on the M3 from Claremont to Town (right before UCT). I love it when random things like this strike up conversation and interest- to me that is what art is all about.
skinnylaminx
Love the ‘Tickets to Heaven’ one! Thanks for adding to the collection. xx
David
lovely!
I came to your blog via the south of the sahara blog…. just scrolling through to get a sense of it but delighted by this sign and the interest that it has ingendered!