My Blog City

Hair

Let's have a bit of flash fiction...short story of no more than 50 words.

Our topic is a hair cut or style gone awry. Did the stylist give you the wrong dye, or was talking on the phone and took a hunk out of your hair. Maybe the razor slipped and you now have a huge bald spot. Let's see what you can come up with.

I went into a salon which displayed a rainbow of colored hair on a each head of a couple laying in the grass under a clear blue sky.
To me they looked happy and I figured it meant they could do any color, so it would be the place to get the strawberry blond I was looking for. Plus the caption on the bottom said "If you can image it we can match it". If anyone could do it this was probable the place. Right?

I walk through the door and it makes this charming chime that instantly reminded me fairy tales. The nervousness disappeared and I strolled up to the counter confident that I had made the right choose.

Being that no one was at the counter I called out for assistance; "Hello, do you take walk-ins?" It was a few moments before I got any response, even when I did it was just a voice from the back somewhere.
"Any salon worth its price takes walk-ins. It is free PR." she said in a cheerful voice. "I'll be right there. Just finishing up here."

2 Ladies (at least I think they were ladies) walked out of the back room.

One had a apron over her clothes, clear plastic gloves and the hem of a black skirt peeking out of the bottom of the apron. Her make-up reminded me of a Horror Picture Show and her blond hair was a bit more yellow than blond, which clashed but she was young and I know I was rebellious than too.
The other lady had bright purple hair with royal blue highlights (which looked surprisingly good). She was dressed in a blue/purple tie-dyed shirt and faded black jeans. No make-up that I noticed right away, but her face reminded me of poresaline.

Picture Show lady just walked right by me didn't even acknowledge me until she was at the door. She stood there with the door opened, "You getting your hair colored?" she asked. I could tell she had more to say and with the nerves returning thought of just walking out but decided against it.
"Was thinking about it."
"That is way cool! Wish even just one of my parents was that cool. Your grandkids must think you rock." and with that she out the door.
Odd, she didn't look young enough to be my granddaughter? What I am saying? I am not that old! Oh hell yeah hair is getting colored TODAY!
"Hello there, I am AquaJean. The owner and stylist on duty tonight. What can I do for you?"
"Well AquaJean, I want to get ready of this gray. I am barely 30 and it makes me look 60."
"I'll say. No offense meant but it dose give the grandma vibe."
"what are we thinking?"
"I was think strawberry blond. Maybe a touch more red than blond?"
"Wow, that sounds like a great idea!" she seemed over joyed as she came around the counter and examined my hair right there on the spot.
"Your hair will take the color well. I don't even need to pre treat it. You must care for your hair well. Regular salon visits?"
"No, actually this is the first time in 10 years."
" I am honored. Let's get started."
We went to the chair and she brushed out my hair, turned me away from the mirror so she use the table as her staging area. After a few more questions it seemed we had agreed on the perfect blond to copper combo to achieve what I was after and she went to work.
She made her mixtures and applied to my hair and set me under the hair dryer claiming it would allow the color to set faster,
The shop got busier and busier till finally I started getting too warm for comfort.
"AquaJean! How long do I stay under here?" I shouted to be sure she could hear me over all the noise.
"It never turned off?!" she rushed over and turned off the dryer. " I am so sorry dear. This visit is free." She grabbed another stylist from the back to finish the client she had been working on and washed my hair.
"Cool. Doesn't look like the color was damaged any." she finished drying my hair with the hand held hair dryer at the sink (as all the chairs were full). "You be sure to tell everyone where you got it done." She hands me her business card and tells about the web site I can go to for comments or to schedule the follow up in about 3 months, says her fell wells and starts in on another client.
I get the car and immediately grab my brush to brush out my hair, how I want it. I look in the rearview mirror and just stare.

My hair is RED! I am talking bright, ripe strawberry red with very few wisps of sunshine yellow. I looked like a freaking walking strawberry!
I rush in the salon. "What the fuck did you do to my hair!"
Everyone freezes and AquaJean looks shocked, "We said Strawberry blond and agreed to go more red than blond?"
I pick up a magazine find a picture of strawberry blond and yell "This is strawberry blond! Not this (pointing to my head)!"
"No dear, that is natural blond with light amber lowlights." I could tell by her face and body language I was not winning this one and she didn't charge me so what ground did I have? I left the salon attempting to come to terms with the fact I was going to spend the next 3 months looking like an overgrown strawberry was eating my head.

Taz

Embracing & Feeding the writing addiction