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Writer's pictureChrisCutler

Hair's the Story

You can change your whole attitude by changing your hair color. ~Unknown

I don't feel like myself. There are times I feel as though I have aged about 1000 years in the last 11 months. This weird person keeps staring back at me from the mirror. At least she's not bald these days, I think.


I decided I needed a change. For a few weeks, I've been trying to figure out what to do with the brown protein filaments sprouting on my head. I bought hair makeup for dark hair. I used to use the pink on my blonde hair, so I thought I'd try ruby red and holographic blue for dark hair. It's easy to use (Just squirt a bit on your fingers and put it where you want), and it's temporary. Unfortunately, ruby red and holographic blue for dark hair do not really show up on dark hair.



I then considered buying plum hair toner from Color & Co, Madison Reed, or some other online salon like that, but I'll admit I was a bit hesitant to do it myself. When Jason was in high school, I agreed to "lighten' his hair. I bought a well-known product, used it according to directions, and turned his hair into a mop of neon orange spikes.


"Why did you let him do that to his hair?" his high school guidance counselor asked me a few days later.

"Let him do it?" I replied. "Let him? I didn't let him do anything. I did it for him."



After that fiasco, there was no way I was taking a chance of turning my hair neon purple.


I stopped at the salon across the street from our condo a few weeks ago to talk to a stylist I had researched. He waasa busy but invited me to text him when I thought I might be ready to talk about my hair. Over the weekend, I sent him a text, and we agreed to meet Wednesday afternoon.


He was late arriving, but he was apologetic and greeted me with, "Ok, Chris. Let's see what we're going to do tomorrow."


"I don't have an appointment tomorrow," I said. He took out his appointment book and showed me "Susie" at both 4:00 on Wednesday and 10:00 on Thursday. "I'm Chris, not Susie."


He looked at me and said, "Yes, I know you are Chris. I wonder why I wrote Susie. That will be your code name now."


We discussed my hair and the fact that I wanted the plum toner. He looked at photos of me before the devil took up residence in my chest, and he ran his hands through my hair.


"No," he finally told me, "Plum is not for you. You will not like it. It will make your hair darker. You need to sparkle." We discussed this at length, and we agreed that he would make me sparkle—whatever that means—at 10:00 on Thursday.


As I was getting ready at 9:55 for the long trip across the street yesterday, my phone dinged.


Hey I screwed up.


The real Susie showed up? I texted back.


Yes, a real one. Can you come this afternoon?



I understand mistakes, so I asked what time. He told me he'd text me when he finished Susie. It was 10:20.


At 2:00, Mike and I decided to go for coffee. Caro, I texted him, I have to go out right now. I am going out of town tomorrow and will call you when I get home to get another appt


No answer. "That Susie must have some difficult hair," Mike said to me as we walked down the street. "Who takes four hours at a hair salon?"


Life went on, and at 5:21, my phone dinged.

CIAO Bella, I am so sorry , please call me when you are back..

I really like you :-), you are a wonderful person


Sorry, Dude. That ship has sailed.


In the long run, I'm not quite sure if I am glad or sad or mad that this happened. I would like to sparkle, sure, but I am not certain that's what I want. I don't know what I want.


Actually, that's not true. I want to feel like myself again.

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3 comentários


calexander9
26 de mar. de 2021

Read the story and can't get over how cruel it is. Maybe I am too willing to believe in the negative, but that guy just seems like an awful person to have lured you into his little world and then tossed you out. He had to know how important it was to you. He knew you were on a quest and that you've had a lot of change and sorrow in the past year. Maybe he was just having a bad day, but it's hard to give him the benefit of doubt. In short, he sucks. I hope your journey finds some better helpers along the way. Your spirit is in your eyes, no matter your hair color. That sparkle…

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calexander9
26 de mar. de 2021
Respondendo a

I would love to send you a copy of my new spoken word opera that explores some of the issues you have grappled with in the past year. If you'd like to email me your mailing address to my MSU email Calexander9 etc. I'll send it along.

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