I Approach the Guillotine...Um Salon Chair

I am terrified at the thought of having my hair cut, especially by someone new. There seems to be no other alternative to the mall salon. I would rather see my dentist and OBGYN every day for a full year than have my hair cut. I could put it off no longer. I wanted a new look. I wanted something different but what if they ruin my hair? My hair was down to my waist but I was willing to take off about 6 inches.

I drive to the mall with my favorite mixed CD playing the techno remix of “Listen to Your Heart” to help put me in an excited, upbeat mood. I arrive at the mall and walk straight to the hairdressers. I pause. I call Oldest Daughter on her cell phone to tell her I am back at the mall. She is doing just fine. No emergencies and she is not in the least bit concerned that her hair cutting phobia Momma is about to have her hair cut. I pace around the outside of the hairdresser's a few rounds then I take a deep breath and head for the door. Just as I am about to step one foot into the doorway ....My cell phone rings! I must have jumped two feet off the ground! Embarrassed I run out of sight. It is my sister (Auntie D) calling to see what I am up to today. I tell her all about the hairdresser and she understands all my fears about having my hair cut. We talk for a few minutes. She gives me a pep talk then sends me on my way back to the hair dresser.

There was one man before me so I sat and waited the 10 minutes it took for the other lady to finish with her customer. While waiting I saw they carried the Sexy Curl line and looked for the hot roller setting spray but they did not have it. That is the best fragrant hot roller spray ever! It works just as well as most curl setting sprays but aww the fragrance.

Well, it is my turn. A young sassy lady walks up to the cash register to talk with the other hairdresser on staff tonight. They talk briefly about the rude boys (teenagers) who had just left. I am then escorted back to the lady's chair. I thought she was going to ask me about what I wanted and then give me the wash, conditioners and such. She draped me then looked at the photos I brought and we discussed length, texture and character of my hair. She then sprayed my hair and I thought nothing of it UNTIL SHE STARTED CUTTING MY HAIR! She was spritzing my hair with water and then cutting! No wash, massaging or anything!! It is okay for you to call me a spoiled brat. I am ok with that. I was just use to a different experience having been spoiled by the big cities and all. You know I moved to the country and was not expecting a water bottle spritz. I completely forgot where I was!

It only took me about two minutes or so to dismiss the non washing and scalp massage, etc. I thought of the new look and how everything will work out wonderfully if I just kept my head straight. At that moment the hairdresser says "Does your head feel lighter?" and I replied with relief "Yes, yes, it does." I had a tremendous amount of hair and knew about 6 inches would be coming off. I had no idea 6 inches of hair would have weighed that much. What a difference! Oldest Daughter and her friend peek in to see how things are going. Oldest daughter laughs at the sight of my wet hair. I jokingly say "I am getting it cut up to here! (motioning up to my shoulder). We all laugh, Oldest Daughter, her friend, hairdresser and I. The girls go off to do a bit more shopping and agree to come back in 20 minutes.

She continues her cutting and I am enjoying the new lightness due to the new alleviated weight. In walks a couple with a little boy 18 months old. I know this due to his mother telling the other hairdresser his age. Ahh, a little distraction is just what I need to keep my mind off worry over my own cut. The Dad sits down in the chair and prompts the little boy to sit in his lap. The little boy knows something is about to happen so he is reluctant to leave the arms of his Mommy. After a few failed attempts Dad relinquishes the chair to Mommy who holds the little boy on her lap. He is still not very comfortable with the hairdresser so she offers him a look at her treasure trove of lollipops (after Mom says it is ok). The little boy picks out a blue lollipop and was quite happy after that. To encourage the little boy to turn this way and that for access to all the different sides of his head the hairdresser points here and there saying "Look! Did you see that bird?!, There goes Santa!, What?! A Bunny! Look over there!" She was very successful in getting the little boy to turn his head to where she needed for his trim. Mommy and Daddy were so happy Daddy had his hair cut and his uni-brow waxed too. I would not have known about the uni-brow since they were out of my sight but the other hairdresser talked about how someone she knew also had a uni-brow and "this method" would take care of that for months.

A few minutes later and my chair was spun around so I could see my new look. "What do you think?" I pause for a moment (much shorter than I thought, much shorter!) but quickly recover by saying "I think I will know better when I blow dry it at home." The hairdresser quickly and very cheerfully responds "I can blow dry it for you and set it too!" I agree to let her do this but I keep thinking how ikky it is that my hair was not washed. They do not wash or dry or style your hair as a norm?! Oh yeah, this is the country. (sad face) I do want to see what it will look like dry. Maybe it will look spectacular dry. It usually looks different when it is wet so when it is dried it will look totally fabulous right? I was still a bit shocked at the length. I was kidding when I said I was getting it cut short. We discussed length before she started cutting.

I left the salon and guess what...they only charge $12.95. No wonder it was not what I am use to. Maybe they are not hip to the way of the big cities. I usually tip big for my hair appointments as they are so far apart but to me this was a small tip. She was delighted with the $10 tip and thank me over and over again!

Oldest Daughter kept staring at me as we walked out to the mall area. I kept my mouth shut until we were almost outside. Then I opened the magazine and handed it to her. "This is what I asked for. (I had more than enough length and hair for this style). Does my hair look like it?" Oldest Daughter looks at the magazine then at my hair then the magazine then my hair....again and again. "Mom, did you forget to show her the picture?"

On our way home we stop by another store to pick up a few things...chocolate chip waffles (ew but for the visiting friend) and new shampoo for me. I know I can wash my hair when I get home but the icky feeling that was all over me for not having my hair washed before it was cut, was becoming too much for me. I not only had the feeling I NEEDED to wash my hair but I had to have a WHOLE brand new bottle of shampoo to make me feel better about it. I know. It is ridiculous but my hair felt gross after having been sprayed wet, blow dried after not being washed and then add mouse and hair spray...double, triple yuck. I do not use hair spray because it makes my hair feel yuck.

I do have to say the cut is good for the cut it is. It is just not what I asked for. I wanted a cut that would be a bit layered but still leave some length because I have had this length for a year. I am use to it and was not willing to dive into short hair. Again, the cut is a good cut.

We arrive at home and show off my new do to ManSon. He is speechless. He goes upstairs to his room without saying a word. Snow White does not know what to say so she stays mute for the time being. I have Oldest Daughter take a photo of me to send to Auntie D. I send the before and after photos to Auntie D then send her the photo in the magazine. She says the girl in the magazine has wispy hair and her texture is not the same as mine so the cut is the same minus the length. I want to argue with her about the length but it is as pointless as going back to the hairdresser and saying "glue it back on." At least my hair is different. Not the look I wanted but it is do able. Not that I wanted to break in to 40 as "do able".

At least Snow White was on my side. When I asked her what she thought of my new hair do she said "I use to want short hair because I thought it was cute. I don't think short hair is cute any more. Your long hair was beautiful"! I feel like Jo from Little Women when Amy said “Jo, your hair. Your one true beauty.” Yeah, it was like that.

***Updated***
It is now about a week later. I have washed and styled my hair over and over again. Now I think the cut is what I asked for. What do you think? (I am the one with black hair he.he.he) I know my picture looks silly but hey, I was working with a tripod and took it myself.

*****Elizabeth Arden Give Away Coming VERY Soon*****