Detangled

Chapter Two

To say that working at a hair salon was my first choice of work was a lie. I didn't exactly want to work here, in fact it wasn't even my first choice. I did want to work at a pizza shop downtown but I couldn't because the jobs were already taken by some kids my age. Besides that I had also applied to a women's clothing shop, that turned me down for 'not having the right energy'. After failing to get a job at the mens clothing shop for obvious reasons, I applied at the movie theatre but they rejected my application too. I mean of course, I did quit from working there before on account of not wanting to scrape people's gum off the bottom of the seats, but that was disgusting so they have no reason to not hire me.

So when I heard that Detangled hair salon was hiring, I applied immedietly. They liked me enough to hire me as the assistant manager. So I helped out with financial things and taking appointments. It was a slow start because if I really wanted to do anything there it would be to cut hair. I didnt have license to work there so I took what I could. It was a decent pay of 10.75 an hour, so why not? I needed the money for various things so here I am.

"Hi, thank you for calling Detangled hair salon, I'm Cassie, how can I help you today?" I recited when I picked up the phone. I always answered with the same thing.

"Hi I was hoping to make an appointment for next friday?" An older sounding lady said over the phone.

"Alright, what time would you like to come in? We have three slots available, one at 10:45 a.m, one at 2:15 p.m, and another at 2:45 p.m." I offered, flipping through our schedule.

"Do you have anything later? I have to pick my grandson up from school." She said

"Well we have one at 7:30 pm, but our closing time is 8:00, we can get you in quick?" I said. It was a tight fix but if there was anything I learned from working at a movie theatre and a hair salon, it was that the customer is always right.

"Oh thats perfect! Thank you so much." She laughed from the other line.

"Of course, can I get a name for this appointment?" I asked.

"Rose Smith." She said as I wrote it down in the planner.

"Alright Mrs.Smith, I have you down for Friday at 7:30 p.m, is this correct?" I confirmed. She didnt answer.

"Mrs.Smith?" I asked after a moment.

"Oh, silly me, I forgot I was on the phone and nodded." She laughed. I smiled at the thought of a little old lady shaking her head on the phone.

"Alright, we'll send a reminder call to you on Thursday. Have a nice day ma'am." I said before hanging the phone up.

"When is hers?" Vivian asked. Vivian was a single mother of two that had been working here for seven years. We call her V for short. She was a nice lady that loved to chat with the customers. She had bright orange hair that she told me she had died three times to get to the shade it was now. In total she had died her hair 84 times, the first time when she was nine. She's a little crazy and we all think that she might have let the hair dye get to her brain, but shes okay.

"Friday, 7:30" I replied, taking out my earpiece.

"Oh. I assume that you're the one closing shop then?" She asked. I shrugged.

"I guess so."

"Alright, should Amanda, Chloe, or I take it?"

"I think Amanda should, shes trying to save up for Andy's birthday." I said. Andy was Amanda's long term boyfriend. She nodded her head and went back to work on the little girl sitting in the chair. She was a walk in with her mother and they were getting similar hair transformations. The little girl was getting her hair died for the first time, so she was nervous but she was in good hands with Vivian, she has experience. The mom smiled at the little girl while she held her hand. The little girl squeezed everytime V applied another strip of foil. The mom had been in here a few times so she knew that V would do a good job. On the other side of the shop Chloe was finishing shaving a ladies hair off.

"Alright there you go. How does it look?" The lady in the chair looked shocked but there wasn't any regret.

"Its perfect, thank you!" She smiled.

"Of course." Chloe said giving her a hug.

The lady shook off her hair from the shawl and walked over to me. I watched as Chloe swept up the long blonde hair into the dustpan. It reminded me that I needed to get my little sister her birthday present soon. She was in love with Rapunzel.

"Hi, how do you like it?" I smiled when the lady stood at the counter.

"I really like it actually! My sister needs it more than I do so I'm glad I got it done." She beamed. I smiled a little more, and it wasn't just for the customer. The last time we had a girl in for cancer was awhile ago so it was refreshing and gave me a little hope for the world.

"Well I bet your sister is beautiful, and I think she'll really enjoy this. How do you want it transported? We have bags or boxes." I said holding up both options from under the counter.

"I'll take the box, adds an element of surprise, I don't want her to know that I shaved my head when she sees me." She replied, happily taking the box. I rung up her payment and sent her away with a lollipop and hair.

As she left the parking lot, I laughed gingerly to myself. I could imagine her walking into the room wherever her sister would be, her hair concealed by the box in attempt to surprise her. The funny part about it was that she would come in with a shaved head so the purpose was kind of defeated anyways.

I had a bit of a cynical view on people, but I was okay.

Vivian was doing okay with her crazy hair and so would that lady and her sister. I imagined a world where she wouldn't have to deal with cancer. Maybe the medical bills would have been lower. Perhaps she would have won an award for best hair. But that wasn't the world she lived in. She lived in this world where her sister cuts off her locks to provide for her absent ones. A world where she had to pay hospital bills for chemo. But she was alright I suppose.

We all are alright.