Hair Day Morals

Growing up, my mother always said, "Be the type of person you would like to meet." Along with a hundred other mantra's she proudly quoted, I ignored them all. It's not until later in life that situations present themselves where you realize, hey she was right. That situation happened only moments ago.

Like every good client I dutifully make my appointments for every 6 weeks. I arrive 5-10 minutes early, and always provide a 20% tip. I understand tipping is optional for some, but for routine services by the same provider, for me it's a must. A tip will guarantee you a last minute spot when your hair  suddenly decides to grow two inches before a big holiday party.

Anyways, it has been my experience with most salons, that anything you say or do within those four walls will never remain. And while there is an unwritten rule of client-stylist confidentiality, you can guarantee that any amount of gossip will always find it's way back. With that in mind, I've typically kept my chatter to a minimum. I discuss neutral topics such as decorating, travel, or even current events. Once in a while we'll chat about family, but just to highlight the achievements or recent accolades. Not all ladies feel the same way and often use their stylist as a fill-in psychologist.

As, I sat in the dryer perusing the pages of a six months old US Weekly, I was suddenly distracted by a woman complaining about her husband. She proceeded for the full ten minutes I was under the dryer to ridicule and criticize everything her husband was (in her opinion) doing wrong. Now, I understand all relationships can be rocky and venting is normal, but this was pretty uncomfortable! I actually began to feel kind of sorry for the husband, even though I didn't know either of these people. Mid-judgment, I realized I probably shouldn't be listening in on her conversation, but a woman who was loud enough to be heard over my dryer, was obviously wanting to be heard! I tried to get back to my article about Charlie Sheen and his Goddesses, but it was nearly impossible to focus. I cringed and reminded myself never to speak poorly about others in a public setting.

As I was walking out of the salon, I overheard two of the employees whispering about the lady. Apparently, she made quite the impression, even long after she had left. While I'd like to give that woman the benefit of the doubt and hope she was just having an off day, it's a reminder for us all to act like ladies in public, especially when you never know who may be overhearing.