Sky

“So what is this now? A new shampoo again?”
Yes it’s with liquid protein; they say it creates magic with hair.”
“You will never give up on your fixation with shampoos.”
“I guess I won’t.”
“You promised you would buy nothing until you were done with that stock of latest product you picked from the Salon”?
“Yes. I know. I would gift them, I have an idea. I am visiting my in laws and parents next week, would gift them, this will make space for the new ones”.
“Is this supposed to be intelligent”?
“I guess so.”
“This is crass. You are obsessed”.
“You might as well say I am possessed.”
“I feel like punching you.”
“You definitely need some help with anger management”.
“You use baby shampoos, herbal shampoos, alkaline shampoos, infact if someone told you to use a dog shampoo – I am sure you would pick that also”.
“You got a point; after all they have such soft lustrous hair”.
“Ah!!! I m feeling as if I am dirtying myself by talking to you”.
“So, why don’t you keep the phone”.
“Sure Yes!!..GTH”.
“Chuckles chuckles.. Love you sweetheart”.
As I lay smeared with clay and apricot in a fancy salon – I quite enjoyed this short and definitely not sweet conversation with my sister. She knows I am a maniac; I have an obsession with hair products. My only problem with her is that even after knowing me for 30 years she still wants to tell me that I need help with my craziness over shampoos’ and conditioners’.
Whatever!
Today I am on a leave and am indulging in my most favorite and ideal pastimes – grab a deal and make most of it.
This place is quite cozy, nice. They have got pink walls and yellow curtains and man for once they are looking so well coordinated and not tacky. Harmonious spa music plays in the background, the Air con is quite effective, I am being attended by tiny little girls, all so pleasing and beautiful.
So, they have smeared my back with clay and apricot grains and have wrapped me in cellophane sheets. I feel like an Egyptian mummy being sealed in layers and being preserved for eternity.
They have done a similar thing to my arms and legs too, it’s a scary feeling.
As I lay with my body wrapped in the thin plastic layer – I am getting obnoxious thoughts.
I am hoping all this gets over soon, and then I will be given a full one hour relaxing massage – something I am really looking forward to.
“Get up. Get up”… a hushed voice almost rocked me like an earthquake.
“What is it?”
“It’s an earthquake… rush out NOW!”
“Holy Shit! It is an earthquake..What do I do”..I shrieked as I jumped out of the massage table and tried to balance myself, covered in cellophane sheets and a white towel to cover my modesty.
“run.. run please take the stairs” voices from different vocal chords hounded in the salon.
Damn! I was rushing down the stairs with my legs, arms and back sealed in plastic wraps, my face was covered with algae and my tiny frame was barely saved of indecent public behavior charges.
I was a sheer sight. People were rushing around the street, some were trying to hide under the big tree on the road side, some were kneeling under chairs and tables of restaurants, some had just frozen and were sitting affixed on the foothpath, it was messy. Noises, voices, prayers, shrieks, cries, alarms it was so scary.
I am not sure if I was more scared than embarrassed, a part of me told me it was okay.. no one was bothered to notice me, after all it was a matter of death and life. A part of me felt as if I was looked upon with eyes that did not have smirk but fright in them - almost as if I was a dead mummy who came to life.. people were staring at me with disbelief and fear!
I noticed I was not the only one, there were three other women out in the trembling street, but they were by all means more dressed and less mummified than my avatar.
The tremors had stopped, there was no major destruction. No one dared to move for quite some time, it must have lasted a few minutes but it seemed like Mother Nature had cradled us for infinity. Sign boards were drooping, overturned trash bins, garbage scattered, chairs and tables dislocated, broken lights, uprooted tiny plants.. the place was in bad state, but great we were all alive.
The salon lady warned anyone to go up any soon, she told us to wait until she was sure of safety.
As soon as people were spared their precious life they returned to their favorite interest of peeping into other’s life and yes I was a sight!
A tiny woman in her late twenties was standing on a corner hiding her bosoms and pubic areas with a towel. The fearful looks were now turning into the missing smirks fast.
Some smiled giving sympathy, some looked horrified, some were suggestive, some were restrictive, some were jealous and some were laughers reduced to smiles.
I felt so naked and much in need of someone to cover me up.
I inquired the salon lady if I could go up and change, she said she understood my situation but it was better I practice safety before modesty and wait for some more time. The mobile signals were all jammed, and as soon as she could make a contact with reliable sources she would be the first one to take me upstairs.
I trusted her completely.
After being an object of public apathy and entertainment for those 10 minutes of my life, I was changing furiously and frantically in the salon room.
I felt very strange. I felt as If I had applied a wrong shampoo on my tresses and as I washed the foam, all my hair was coming off..I am shouting wild in the shower room. .. I can feel the bald skull skin washing under the water sprays…
Arghhh!!! Aweiu!!
“What happened Miss? Are you okay”? a rushing voice again addressed me.
“ Shit! What happened? Earthquake again?”
“Earthquake?” a puzzled voice asked.
“No earthquake. You were shouting.. while I left to bring in the cleansing milk and hot oil for the massage, I guess you took a small nap and dreamt” she winked at me and smiled.
“Yeah! Is it. Sure yes!” I exclaimed.
I looked around, everything was perfect, still and same harmonious music played in the background.
I looked up the ceiling and saw a piece of blue sky shining over the wall, peeping through the glass ventilator and I smiled.
My phone beeped.
It was a text from my sister - “Your F#$king lot of a fresh samples of shampoo bottles has arrived. I am not acknowledging the courier.”
“Just check please, if they are allergy tested. If not, please return, else please accept the same. I have an interesting something to share with you when I return. XOXO”.
My sister went bonkers when I told her about this weird dream of mine. I checked my new shampoo and hair tonic for any known and unknown allergies and side effects if any both on the bottle and the company website, before I went dreaming again!