Of the many decisions confronting a woman in her life, one of the most serious and crucial is choosing the right beautician, and hence the right beauty salon. Every woman has her own unique set of problems when it comes to her hair: too straight, too curly, too gray, too thin, too thick, etc. Just ask any woman, and she'll explain. And somewhere in the world there is the perfect beautician who can solve all your hair woes. Or so every woman believes. It is just finding that person.
Now I have thick hair with a little wave, and a lot of body. It seems that no matter what beautician attacks it , it comes out doing its own thing. So, I can pretty much go wherever for hair care, and in long years past, I did just that. But, when I moved to Redbud, and my eyesight became so bad that driving was scary, I decided to go to the shop right in the neighborhood.
Now, notice that I said beauty shop, not beauty salon, not even beauty parlor. I purposely downgraded the language to match the reality. It is just a shop, a tiny little building erected on the back of Helen, the owner's yard ,behind her house. It has a tiny gravel parking lot that is more mud than gravel, and it has a pet squirrel, Buddy, that the "girls" (the three sister beauticians) hand feed. Oh, they hand feed him outside where he lives in his tree. He does not come into the shop. At least, he hasn't as yet. With just a little more spoiling, we will see.
I know some women spend fifty to a hundred dollars for that perfect haircut. My haircuts cost ten dollars, and that includes the tip. The "girls" have had most of their clients for years and years, and they just hate to raise the prices for all these little old ladies. I hear or see in the movies that some women go to salons where they serve wine. I gave the girls one of my coffee pots. I think the first arrivals in the morning might get coffee. The girls are always cooking something for their own lunches. Some days it includes sauerkraut. Phew! There is always a running argument on Wednesdays, because it is sister Ruthie's turn to furnish lunch. Helen and Dorothy don't like her choices, or else she neglects to do it at all.
I know that some salons sell fancy brands of toiletries, shampoos, and cosmetics. In my shop they sell homemade noodles, or some days they might be having a bake sale to send some child to camp or on a mission trip. Currently they are selling some hand made hand towels for your kitchen that one of the clients brings in to sell. In fact, if you have anything at all to sell, they will be glad to give you a little space, especially if it is a worthy fund raiser.
Some salons have fancy tanning beds that are actually used for tanning. At my shop there are two tanning bed rooms that are NEVER used for tanning. Room #1 stores things - like extra noodles and baked goods. Room #2 is home for the stray cat that they adopted. The cat that is only allowed out of that room at night when the shop is closed.
Some salons have swanky, swanky decor. My shop is minus swank. Some of the chairs are repaired with duct tape. There are a couple of old door mats leading in from the door. They are usually covered with the mud from the gravel-less parking lot. Now, the shop is clean. The girls do scrub it clean. It is just very minimalist, and everything is used until it dies. For a long time there was Helen's old kitchen stove sitting right inside the door until she could dispose of it. She swore that it was a valuable antique, and she was looking for the right buyer.
Some salons have very young, hip, chic beauticians. My shop has the "girls." I'm not sure of their ages, but they are all three grandmothers. As I said before, they are really sisters. So we do get to hear a lot about their family crises. But they are equally glad to hear about yours, and will always pray for you, and for a solution to all your problems. Helen, the owner of the shop, readily admits that she is the bossy sister. She is an excellent stylist and does both men and women of all ages. She does Mother's hair, and is very attentive to her. Dorothy is very sweet and is the peacemaker in the family. Dorothy does my hair, and is very good with those who want a good hair cut, and wear it in a natural, wash and wear style. Suits me! Ruthie is the
absent-minded, ding- aling sister who drives her sisters crazy. Ruthie does a lot of older women who have very thin, problem hair. Ruthie is the back-combing queen. She sends those little old ladies out with hair that stands four inches away from their scalps. They love it.
What I do know is that there is a good reason why the clients stay with this shop for years and years. The girls are honest and would do anything for you. They are good Christians, and they really, truly love their clients. If you need a ride, they will come, pick you up. If you are in the hospital, they will visit, and do your hair, too. If you are home-bound, they'll come to the house, or the nursing home. They listen when you talk, and offer good advice. Dorothy even has suggested on several occasions, that she would come in on her day off and do my hair when I had some very special happenings. They come to the funeral home if there is a death in the family. It is a kind of a party in there some days, because you get to know all the ladies who have standing appointments when you do. One lady brings Mother magazines every week.
So other women can have their swanky salons. I am just going to stick with my happy beauty shop family.
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