Back Talk

Ch5: Hey Chicadee!

When I woke up the next morning the sun was just done rising and a lot of people were staring at me when they passed by. I checked Chet’s iPod to see that it was 7:30AM. The air smelled of gasoline and rubber.

At this point I really wished I planned this part out. I had no idea what I should do next, so I just sat up and looked around me, the funny thing was ‘around’ was staring right back. I guess I did look pretty unkempt. I stared into my reflection on the windows of the hair salon I had slept in front of.

The pink sign above the door flashed ‘Sally's Salon’ every other 2 seconds. I realized I had never had gotten my hair cut since my mom died and it was already reached just above my waist line.

I stood up and walked into the store, my old gross tennishoes squeaking with every step I took. The chimes above the door, well, chimed. The room smelled of hairspray and strong perfume. I couldn’t explain why, but it made me feel… safe and happy.

“Well hello there!” A lady peeped out from behind a counter. There were random assorts of hair products placed atop the rack and the wall behind her. 

The store looked like a unicorn had thrown up all over the place. Everything was pink! The walls were a bright fuscia and the floors were an alternating pink and white tile. It was the epiphany of all things girlie- something of which I never was.

“What can I do ya’ for?” The lady was a colorful character; she was southern, obviously from her accent. She had a blond beehive perched above her head She wore a yellow floral dress and old 60’s cat-eye glasses. Her nails were painted the hot-pink that matched the flowers on her dress.

“Can I get a haircut?” I asked her shyly.

“But of course!” She smiled a big southern grin. “Do you have an appointment?”

“Um, no. Is that bad?”

“Well let me just see if any of our clients missed their appointments, but if not I’ll cut you myself.” She scooted out from behind the counter and walked over to the center of the store, through either side of the walls lined with chairs and shampoo thingies.

“Just sit down there” she pointed at a chair at the end of the right wall.

“OK” The store only had 3 clients in it and it looked like every hairdresser was taken. They were all making pleasant chit-chat with their customers.

She tilted my head back into a sink behind the leather chair I was now seated in. I cringed as my neck touched the edge of the sink, my bruises from Chet choking me still burned. She turned on the hose in the sink and wetted my hair down.

“You got yourself some long locks girl!” she slowly massaged my scalp with a clear liquid that smelled of strawberries.

“I’m sorry honey does that hurt?” she asked pulling her hands away.

“No, it’s ok.” I responded trying not to sound hurt. She continued to rub at my scalp and it started to feel good.

"So what to you want?" She asked rinseing the shampoo out of my hair. I hoped she couldn't tell that I only washed my hair once in a blue moon when Chet would give me permission to use his shower, but by the way she put a huge dollop of condishiner in my hair I was pretty sure she knew.

"Uh, I dunno, My hair is naturally wavy brown." I replied as she massaged the white creme into my long hair.

"How's about I give you the works?" She smiled, I absolutely adored her think-texan accent.

"What's that?"

"I'll cut it about past your shoulders and dye it a darker brown, that way when your hair grows back it wont be too noticable?"