The "sit and spill"

               It's really funny how some clients, ones that you meet for the first and ones that you've been doing forever, will sit down and spill EVERYTHING that's going on in their lives.

                                        I understand my clients that I have been doing for years, because they have this comfort level with you, yet a disconnect. They don't see you everyday like they do their husbands that insists on having and opinion on wall color. Or maybe her child, the one that partys every weekend then turns around and asks for money for her car payment. I get it, you give some advice if they ask or just an ear that listens. They gain more trust in you and you feel special because they are THAT comfortable with you.

             The client that seems to perplex me the most, and I say perplex because I am totally not like this, is the one that you've never met. The first time client. They've never been to the salon let alone sit in you chair. You welcome them, they sit down, and just start SPILLING! You can't even get a word in edge wise. You barely got to ask how they wanted their hair done. They talk about their health or family, maybe work. They completely vent. You get done with their hair, you say thanks, they say thanks, and you never see them again.

            Apparently some people just need to get stuff off their chest. I've learned to not bring any of it home with me. Which is not an easy task, some stuff is pretty heavy. I may not fully understand the reason behind it but I don't really need to fully understand the reason.

            If you need me I will be standing behind the chair waiting for the next client to "sit and spill".

Once you go black......

                 The phone rings and a client is on the other end very distressed. She/He says "I colored my hair black........" I already know at this point which direction this is going, they hate it and now they want there natural hair color back or worse they want it blond.

                 I must ask the question, what possesses people to think that black is ever going to be the right color for them. It doesn't work for anyone. Also, does everyone think that you can just magically go back to a natural color whilst maintaining any integrity of the hair. Oh, by the way, you can't.

                 I am not completely against black hair but, please have the understanding of what that entails, and don't be surprised when I tell you your bill for turning the black hair to blond is about $160.

                 Once you go black, you can't always go back.

One crazy client

          Well, I did not work today so there is not a current story to be told. So I will dig into my archives.....

          Everyone who works with the public, has that one person who you cringe when they come around. Even if they stop coming around, they stick with you mentally. Never to be forgotten. I have that client, we will call her "Dorothy". She and her husband "Cliff" used to come into the salon once a week. She would either be getting her hair done or her nails, the occasional waxing. "Dorothy" was a little off her rocker, telling me crazy things each week.

            A little back story for you....."Dorothy" is a larger women, in her 60's but looked to be about 75 ish. Used a walker purely because she didn't want to strain herself. Her voice even had the inflection that she didn't want to try too hard. She'd walk into the salon and the first thing she would say was "ya know, I lost 12lbs...", "oh really" I would say, all the while thinking, "where?" I mean, by now, if this were true, she would be very tiny. I don't want you to get the impression that I am rude, she was a very sweet person and only meant well. I always was very interested in what she had to say and asked about her health. Now her husband was probably the sweetest man ever and wore a hat which in my opinion, there is nothing cuter then a little old man in a hat.

          But, let me tell you a couple of instances where I would cringe. "Dorothy" had this terrible habit of revealing too much information. I was doing her nails once and she started talking to be about some female issues that no woman should ever speak of. I will not go into detail but lets just say I questioned the integrity of her fingernails.......TMI?? Well how do you think I felt. Oh and SIDE NOTE...she would often have to use the bathroom right after I would paint her nails and would ask me to help her out..... ummm, yeah, NOT happening.

          She also had this habit of not putting her teeth in when she came into the salon. No big deal really, it's not like she was going out to dinner, what would she need them for? Well I will tell you. She would get her "mustache" (as she would call it) waxed. In order to do this you have to pull the skin tight so the hair comes off easier. Well if your unfamiliar with waxing, there is nothing worse then going to pull tight on her skin and my finger going directly into her mouth because there are no teeth to stop me.

         There are many other stories with "Dorothy" but I have already carried on too long. To sum up, through all the tales she would tell me about affairs she was having (not true), or that her husband was cheating on her (not true), or her weight loss.....or whatever, I enjoyed retelling them later to the other stylists. Every time she would leave I always was able to say "guess what "Dorothy" said/did today". So, for humors sake, I enjoyed her. She still is around but rarely makes it to the salon. I am sure there will be future stories featuring "Dorothy".

         Oh and one more quick thing. She once said "all the men want me for my money and my body..." Neither of which she has.

The same but different....

             I start this by saying, I realize that this has been done before. Many people, in many different ways have just wrote down things they hear people say, compile them and post. I am not sure what this will turn into but wanted an outlet for all the little things I hear from "behind the chair" or nail table, as it were.

            I have been working in the same salon for about 7yrs and have heard a multitude of funny/sad/awkward/angry things. I hate to say my mom was right BUT my mom was right! I should have been writing down these things from the beginning, even if just for my own benefit. Which is how this blog will probably end up (for my own benefit).