Growing up, leaving my small town was one of the first things I wanted to do when I turned 18. I couldn't wait to "get outta here!"
Little did I know then that I would fall in love with my friend's brother, get married, and move back here. As an adult, I realize now the benefits of living in a small town.
One of those has to do with my hair.
My stylist, or beautician as we always called her, has been doing my hair for almost 50 years. My mother was one of first clients when she started out. We began going to her when I was about 10 years old, especially when my mom would cut our bangs and they were crooked. She worked around my college years and would do her best to schedule me on my days off when I lived out of town.
Brenda lived through my perm days, my hot rollers and Farrah Fawcett days, my Dorothy Hamill wanna be days and now my gray hair days. She helped me to accept my natural curls and to realize that one day I would appreciate "all this hair."
She has a little shop in her house and schedules me every four weeks. When she finally retires, I don't know what I am going to do. Fifty years is a long time!
Yes, only in a small town!
After participating in the Slice of Life March Challenge by Two Writing Teachers, I am continuing to write my stories with other teacher-writers as we share a slice of life on Tuesdays.
I love this trip down Hair History Lane, and yes, there is something wonderfully quaint about living in a small town. :)
ReplyDeleteYes! The benefits of a small town. I too have the same tailor and beautician for the past 22 odd years since the time i got married and have stayed here.
ReplyDeleteThis was a beautiful slice down the memory lane. Thank you for sharing.
I love this walk down memory lane! My beautician has been doing my hair for close to 30 years. I can only keep up with it because I started going to her shortly after her daughter was born. Your post reminded me of some unfortunate bangs that I had in middle school:)
ReplyDeleteSuch a lovely memory....
ReplyDeleteAs someone who lives in a small community small towns offer things.bigger cities don't. Here's hoping your beautician is planning on retiring any time soon.
ReplyDeleteThat is a long time and a lot of changes! We lived in the “burbs” and my mom went to the same beauty shop for decades… but not as long as you. My mom was part of that generation of ladies who went to the beauty shop weekly to get their hair done.
ReplyDeleteI live in a big city, but I think I have been seeing the same stylist for about 20 years. She is the one who has done the moving, however, having worked in at least five salons that I can think of. At one the owner died, and no one replaced him. At another, there was a flood in the building, and the salon space wasn't getting cleaned up. On each of those occasions, the staff at the salon scattered, each person having to find a new place to do her or his work.
ReplyDeleteLeigh Anne, what a sweet post. Fifty years, yes! That is a long time, and sounds like a small town thing. I loved how you had Dorothy Hamill and Farrah Fawcett stages. I can relate to all your stages--perms and rollers and graying and yikes! So many hair issues over those five decades. Your post was fun to read.
ReplyDeleteOne of my regrets about moving was having to change hair stylists. Shelly knew just what to do with my hair! The Dorothy Hammill and hot roller stages! Your post sent me down memory lane thinking of some of my questionable styles from the past. What a gift to work with the same stylist for so many years!
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