He spends most of his free time writing, but to pay the mortgage (and to satisfy his extroverted needs) he also works as a hairdresser.  In addition to cutting and coloring hair, Gregory also occasionally dispenses legal advice.  His cosmetological services are expensive but the legal counsel is free.  Each is worth what he charges.  He doesn’t mind.  For Gregory, every day feels like the first day of summer vacation.

Two decades ago, at the beginning of what should have been a promising legal career, Gregory and his wife owned a home and were starting to talk about how they were going to fill the empty bedrooms.  Gregory had a job where he spent his days sitting at a big desk, in a big office, looking over an expanse of green legal folders.  Every day he counted the minutes until he was free to leave.  Often, when he heard the industrial beeping coming from the alley four stories down, he turned from his folders and watched the inverted dumpster disgorge its contents into the waiting truck below.  He imagined he’d enjoy being a garbage man.  Gregory was not very good at his job.  It’s hard to be good at something you hate.

After a self-inflicted three year sentence, Gregory escaped the law by having a child.  After a brief period of awkward negotiation he and his wife discovered she wanted to keep working while Gregory wanted desperately to quit.  Gregory was excited.  He was going to raise an army of sarcastic athletes; precocious, occasionally charming distance runners.  He wanted four children, his wife wanted one.  They compromised and had one.  When Oscar arrived Gregory’s re-education began.  If you know anything about children you understand what they can do to expectations.  Six years at home with a child broke Lawyer Gregory.  He learned to slow down, and eventually found the strength to jump off the treadmill he’d been trying to outrun.

Gregory did the only logical thing.  He went to Cosmetology school and became a hairdresser.

Gregory has a BA in history from the College of William & Mary, a JD from Arizona State University, and a Masters of Cosmetology Degree from the Paul Mitchell School of Atlanta.  He and his wife have been married for twenty years and have a son, Oscar, as well as two cats, Curly and Mo.  Gregory stayed home with Oscar for the first six years of his life and has worked as a hairdresser in Atlanta for over a decade.