Yesterday afternoon, I stopped at one of those 'no appointment needed' national chain hair salons. My hair was in need of a trim and in an effort to save money, I chose this option. I have gone to this same salon several times before and been satisfied with the cut.
There was an older woman sitting in the waiting area when I wrote my name down on the sign-in sheet. I took a seat not far from where she sat and glanced at a magazine. A young stylist appeared from the back room and called her name. When she stood up, I noticed about a third of her hair was missing at the crown of her head. As the stylist shampooed her, I overheard the woman say she had been on dialysis and as a result her hair had thinned a great deal. She went on to explain she recently received a kidney transplant and the anti-rejection meds did further damage.
Not long after, my name was called and I took my place in a different stylists' chair. I explained I only needed a trim on the overall length, some long layers and my bangs trimmed. She nodded and began spraying some good smelling potion into my hair. She told me it was a conditioner - and my hair desperately needed some conditioning. I glanced in the mirror and didn't really see the desperate part, but agreed because I figured it couldn't hurt.
She combed all through my hair and began to cut. When she got to the long layers part I requested, she asked why I wanted them. I told her that my hair tends to just hang if there isn't some sort of layering effect. Her exact words were, "Yeah but your hair is so bushy!"
Bushy? I have never thought of my hair as bushy. I know I haven't met any of my readers in person, but I can tell you that all my life my hair has been thick with a natural curl. It tends to curl more in humid weather or when I get caught in a rain storm, but I have never been told my hair was bushy! In fact, most hair stylists compliment my hair.
When the stylist finished my cut, I stood up to leave and pay. The stylist told me I had "quite a head of hair, but she wasn't sure she could live with it." I smiled and told her there obviously wasn't much I could do.
Here's the worst part - I gave the girl a decent tip! The cut was $14.95 and I handed her a $20 bill, mumbling that she could keep the change! I have replayed this instance over and over in my mind and I continue to ask myself why I gave her a $5.05 tip! Most likely, I just wanted to get out of there. So much for saving a few dollars!
On a positive note, I followed the older woman with the kidney transplant out the door. I realized it was a good thing I got the stylist with a limited vocabulary (as Brian said must be her problem) instead of her. The stylist with a lousy vocabulary may have really hurt the woman's feelings.
3 comments:
Personally, I think you have a beautiful head of hair, from the pics you have posted. You, like me, have been gifted with thick curly hair. Even though it gets hot during the summer, I am very grateful to have my hair, considering the alternatives.
I went to beauty school and would never be so insulting to someone sitting in my chair. I would suggest something to perhaps enhance the appearance of my customer's hair but I would never insult them in the process. There is a way to say things and not come across as being rude and insulting. Your stylist has a lot to learn in that department.
I hope you got a good cut out of it at least and like you said, you probably saved the other customer from a potentially hurtful situation. I am just sorry you got the brunt of it. I would have given that stylist a tip but it wouldn't have been in the form of cash. It would have been a short lesson on how to be tactful with others.
My barber, a woman, retired, and her replacement does not have an idea of how to cut my mangy hair. I keep trying, but so far I have not found a barber I like, and one that will listen to me.
Oh well.
your story reminded me of when i was growing up and one of our neighbors told me that my feet were my prettiest asset!! definitely not the thing a teenager wants to hear, probably anyone for that matter! oh well.....
Post a Comment