August 24, 2006 - Thursday
Current mood: grateful
I have a bad habit...it could get me into a lot of trouble, actually. It is one that, when this particular thought enters my mind, it sets up camp and vows not to leave until I give it full attention. It eats at the fiber of my very existence, begging me, screaming at me, pleading, groveling...doing whatever is necessary to make me take note....It's getting my hair cut. What did you think?
Life can be fine one minute, and then a sideways glance in the mirror sets this world of follicle obsession into motion. It starts out innocently enough, "Wow. It's been a long time since I got my hair cut." Just a fleeting thought for the first few hours, until I see myself in the mirror again and think, "Wow. My hair looks really bad today." And then I begin sort of combing through it with my fingers (I know that when I begin the finger-comb, I've been had). My eyes suddenly begin to focus on everyone else's hair. From co-workers, to celbrities, to people I pass in the hallway...I think, "I like her hair." "Wow. That guy has a cool style." "Maybe I should try that." And then my trips to the mirror become more frequent. I begin imagining what my hair might look like short and spiky, or punky, or black or red...And the climactic culmination of the story, the defining moment that calls me into action. I return to the mirror for one more glance, "Oh my gosh, I think I have a mullet!"
For me this process began last Friday. I assumed no salons would be open Friday, so I resolved to hold myself off until Saturday. And Saturday morning, when I began calling places in the area, I forgot that I am in a large, metropolitan city, and Saturday hair appointments must be made weeks in advance. My friends tell me to go to Supercuts...I decided to wait a little longer.
And then Monday came...after realizing that Mondays are Sundays for salons...because Sundays are like Saturdays...because Saturdays are like Fridays and so on, I was still determined to achieve my makeover.
I remembered going to Wal-Mart to pick up a few necessities the previous weekend. I happened to glance in to the salon there, and took note that all the women working seemed to have very trendy, up to date, cute hair cuts. --Now, I know what you're thinking--but, bear with me. It was in the desperation of the moment, and I had been waiting an entire weekend wearing a mullet on my head.
So I walked into Wal-Mart around 8:00 Monday evening. The stylists I had seen Saturday were nowhere to be found. There were two people working that fateful night: a young girl in her early twenties, with very cute hair; and a large, forty-something man with a black, spiky pseudo-mullet (think, Rod Stewart minus the highlights). I calculated my options. The female stylist was blow-drying a woman's hair...that could take awhile. The male was almost done, and there was one person waiting ahead of me. Good. If everything went according to plan, I would be able to have the female stylist.
As I walked in to the salon, I stood in the lobby...I didn't know what to do and no one acknowledged me, so I just figured it must be because of my mullet. Then the man finished with his customer. And while I was still standing there, two little Latino boys approached the counter. The male stylist looked right past me and told the first little boy to come over to his chair. I then asked the Rod Stewart look-alike whether I should just go sit in the waiting area or what.
Rod kindly apologized and explained he didn't know I was waiting. He instructed me to sign in and they would be with me shortly. Little did he know that I was secretly vying for the female stylist...so I wasn't upset in the least. I told him, "Oh, that's okay. I know it won't take long to give those little boys their haircuts. I don't mind."
After the boys were finished, the Rod kindly approached me again and explained that he was scheduled to leave at 8:30. There was still one more gentleman waiting. Rod asked me if it was okay for the guy waiting to go ahead of me, since he just needed his hair buzzed, and then the female stylist would be with me as soon as possible. I was thinking this evening was all working in my favor...until the gentleman waiting smirked (and I would almost swear he kind of scoffed, too) and said, "Oh. I'm waiting for her," and motioned to the female stylist. My mind immediately began to race. "Come on, Nicole...Think of a quick solution. You don't want this mullet-man Rod Stewart guy cutting your hair...think...think...THINK."
"Oh...It's alright. I don't want to keep you. Why don't you just go, and I'll wait...really I don't mind," I said.
Rod responded by saying, "No. Come on. I'll stay late. Let me cut your hair. What style are you thinking about?"
"Well. I really don't want to keep you. I'm sure you have other things you could be doing, and I would hate to have to stay late to cut someone's hair."
"Is that the style you were thinking about?" he said as he pointed to the Snips 'N Styles 2002 book I had sitting in my lap.
"Uh...well...yeah...either that one or this one here. But, really, I don't mind waiting. I would hate to keep you from your plans tonight." I thought I would give it one last shot.
"Well, I would go with this one here (Rod pointed to one of the two hairstyles I had shown him.)...because your hair is kind of like mine (at this point, Rod began pointing to his hair and demonstrating how it was kind of wild and sticking every which way."
"Thanks." I thought. "Great...Now I already have a mullet...and I'm going to get my hair styled by another mullet-wearer...and he's going to give me an even bigger mullet than I already have because he thinks mullets are cool!" I politely smiled and looked at the female stylist...begging her to rescue me from my impending doom under the shears of Rod Stewart!
"Come on over. I'll stay late. You've been so patient with letting those kids go before you and everything. It's the least I could do. You deserve it."
"Are you sure?" This was my last ditch effort to save myself from another season of mulletdom.
"Yeah, yeah....Come on. Have a seat and keep that book open."
Well, as it turns out, Rod (whose actual name I will not disclose for protection purposes) is actually a decent stylist. There are a few problem areas I may have touched up somewhere, but I think the overall haircut is very cute. It's versatile. I can go curly for an "I just rolled out of bed, but still look cute because curly-haired people always look cute." look...or I can straighten it by either curling it under, for a sleek, sophisticated look (by far the most elegant, yet most difficult to execute), or I can go a little rocker-chick and flip up the back and wear it kind of messy (which is the easiest and cutest of all three options).
So, the lessons I learned were these:
1. A $12.50 haircut is just as good as a $45.00 one.
2. The mystery stylist who looks like Rod Stewart may have questionable taste in his own hair, but he is a fine stylist for others.
3. I need to stop trying to get out of potentially pride-crushing situations, and start rolling with the punches....it produces humility.
So the next time you're in Wal-Mart, think about stopping on in to the Smart Styles Salon. Don't knock it til you've tried it...and tell them i sent you.
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