Hair School

I've been bad at writing Blogs lately...lots of stuff going on theater and school wise so I put out to my Facebook friends to choose a topic for my Blog today. Where as I would love to write about taints there is only this to be said...taint the balls or the ass :)

My friend Adrianna suggested I write about an experience during my first week of beauty school and I thought yes! It's very fitting considering I'm about two to three weeks away from finishing :)

In most beauty schools your first 450 hours are spent working in your textbooks or on manequin heads. Then when you are good and comfortable you start working on clients. However at my school you pretty much work on clients on day two. Yes people I said day two. The first week I was there I did a manicure, a pedicure, applied color to a students hair and I did a wash & set. Most of you would think the story would lay with the mani or pedi but no. It wasn't even the students color I applied. It was all about the wash & set.

A wash & set is pretty much done by elderly people once a week. Usually Fridays to prepare them for the Friday dinner out at a diner (where she will no doubt use a coupon) and for church on Sunday. They usually return the next week and start all over again. It's actually kind of cute and it's a guaranteed client each week. It's pretty simple, wash, throw some rollers in the hair, under the dryer, remove rollers and brush hair. The occasional client also wants her hair curled with a curling iron after...why? I don't know but it's fine.

First week at school 12:45 on a Friday. It's me, two other students and my teacher. The other students are already working on clients when in walks an elderly lady with a cane. She seemed nice except for the sour look on her face. I'm thinking I'm fine, I'm new they won't make me do this.

Here's how it went down.

"JJ can you do a wash and set"

"No"

"Why not?"

"Um I'm new and I've never done one"

"It's fine, it's like a wig that talks"

This went on for five minutes until I gave in. The lady came over to my chair while my teacher watched. The woman sat down and I introduced myself. I asked what she wanted for today and then this came out of her mouth.

"Well I would like a wash and set. Make sure you leave me under the dryer long enough because no one can ever get my set to stay longer than two days. I've been to 5 different salons recently and they all were bad. I tell them that I sweat a lot at night and it makes my sets go away. So I hope you know what you are doing!"

I then proceeded to turn bright red and I almost shit my pants. My teacher looked horrified but at this point there was nothing I could do. She grabbed some hair gel to use instead of setting lotion to assure a strong hold and got me the smallest rollers I have ever seen in my life. I washed her hair. During this time my teacher was called away and my client promptly asked "Where did your teacher lady go?" "Oh" I said "She had to do something, she'll be right back." 

All washed I took her back to the chair and started rolling. The thing is when you use gel instead of setting solution it starts drying fast. I pretty much glued rollers to her head and to my fingers. I started sweating and again almost shit my pants. I know what you all are thinking "JJ your blogs are usually funny, this one is kind of making me sweat just thinking about it." Do fret my friends here it comes.

Halfway during the sweating and almost shitting myself 4 more times she said to me "So how long have you been here?" "Um" I said "I"m kind of new, but I've done theater wigs and hair for a long time."

"Oh really? My son takes me to see theater a lot." Finally I thought I could relax in hopes that she saw me in a play and we would have something to talk about. Then to my horror this happened.

"My son used-to do my hair but now he's too busy with all his organizations."

"Really? Like which ones"

"Oh he's trying to keep the ____ ____ ____ open!" Then came another blush, sweat and another almost shitting moment. She then said "His name is ____, do you know him?"

And yes I did! Not only did I know him I went out with him and slept with him. Of course she didn't know he was gay because he works for a christian hospital. I thought "FUCK MY LIFE!" She then tells me how great he is and how she wishes he would find a nice girl and get married. It was very hard for me not to say.

"Well if he didn't describe himself as a sociopath vegetarian he just might meet someone!"

I didn't know what else to do I put her under the dyer, then I took her rollers out, teased her hair and sprayed her with Aquanet and set her on her way. Before she left she asked my teacher my name and she said "I'll see you next week!"

Next Friday she came back, he set stayed and she was pleased with my work. She sat down and said "I asked my son if he knew you and he said yes he did. You two are drinking buddies." I laughed, blushed and shit my pants! FML!