Salon Talk

The beauticians in the Cut Up & Dye Parlor were running around in a frenzy, trying to prepare the salon for a customer with special needs who had a standing weekly appointment with the ladies. The other customers in the establishment were in various stages of completion, and most were used to this weekly hysteria. With only thirty minutes before the customer arrived the girls were feeling the pressure, and the new girl, Beth Ann, was at a loss as to why everything had to be done a certain way.

While cleaning out the fridge in the breakroom, Celeste, the owner of Cut Up & Dye made upset noises. Returning to the main room of the salon, Celeste demanded, “Who brought meat today? Everyone was told not to bring any type of meat to eat!!”

Sara, who operated chair two at the salon responded, “Did that include turkey? I didn’t think you meant poultry.” As Celeste headed toward the side door with a trash bag, Sara continued, “Hey, you’re not going to throw out my lunch are you?”

Celeste looked over her shoulder at the group and said, “Everyone knew what today was. It has to go before she gets here.”

Becky piped up as Celeste started out the door, “What about my eggs? You’re not throwing out my eggs are you?”

Celeste could only look back and raise the bag, indicating the eggs were in the trash on her way to the dumpster. When Celeste came in, the group continued talking and cleaning the parlor. Once the meat was out of the building, they removed the hunting magazines left in the waiting room while Sara and Jan hurriedly finished up with the mayor’s wife and daughter.

“Why do we have to go through all this trouble?” Beth Ann wondered, to no one in particular. She wasn’t given an answer, just handed a duster and told to dust off the shelves and to remove all the Mardel Products, since the client they were preparing for hated the Sasquatch logo.

Celeste was setting beautiful flowers out in a vase, while the receptionist, Meg put out a vegetable tray, when they smelt the odor of skunk cabbage getting closer to the salon. Everyone rushed to their normal stations, while Celeste instructed Beth Ann to assist her with the client.

Beth Ann thought the request was a little odd. After all, it was just a basic highlight with a perm for a client. She couldn’t see why she needed to assist, but Beth Ann didn’t say a thing. She only nodded and began setting out what they’d need to put highlights in the customer’s hair as she watched two other girls pull a sturdier, lower chair from the back room.

Beth Ann was looking out the windows, taking in what she could of the town of Winthrop, when she noticed a tall shape appear on the sidewalk and walk towards the salon’s door. As the bell over the door chimed, announcing the customer’s arrival, Beth Ann’s eyes widened.

Beth Ann felt her jaw dropped to the floor. She couldn’t believe her eyes or ears. No one else seemed phased by the sight that had just entered the door. Everyone else in the parlor carried on about their business setting things up for the special client. The clients who were still inside continued with their gossip as the door opened.

Standing in the doorway, wearing a floral sundress, was a bigfoot. Beth Ann couldn’t wrap her mind around the sight, because she knew there was no such thing as a bigfoot. But here one stood, in all its 8’ of hairy glory.

The smell of skunk cabbage was even stronger now that the creature was standing inside the salon. The room seemed so small now that it had entered the building, too. As it walked over to the reception desk and sniffed the flowers Beth Ann thought she would faint.

Speaking in a deep, guttural voice that was oddly feminine, the creature said, “I’m here for my 11 o’clock with Celeste. Is she ready for me?”

Hurrying from the backroom, Celeste responds, “There you are dear, just in time, too! Come on back and we’ll get started.”

As the female bigfoot walked to Celeste and Beth Ann, Celeste introduced the two, “Fern, I’d like you to meet our new girl, Beth Ann. Beth Ann will assist me today if that’s fine with you.”

The female bigfoot–Fern, Beth Ann couldn’t believe she had a name and could talk, smiled a wide, toothy grin, “That’s perfectly fine with me. We three girls will just have a regular little hen party!”

They washed Fern’s hair atop her head before they began, removing any twigs or leaves they found as they went along. Then they prepared her hair for a sunkissed highlight, and as they did, there was gossip between Celeste and Fern about the people in the town and the animals of the forest. Beth Ann didn’t contribute much to the conversation, being so shocked about the circumstances. She understood why she needed to assist when they applied the 132 perming rods and applied the solution.

She’d never put so much work into one customer before. Four hours had passed, and they still weren’t done. They had worked right through lunch, and supper was fast approaching. Beth Ann could feel her stomach rumble but was too frightened to ask if she could grab a bite. She wasn’t sure what would happen, or how Fern would react if she returned with a hamburger odor on her breath. Beth Ann was completely brain-fried when they were done with Fern.

Finally, the finishing touches were put on Fern’s hair. The trio stood, as Fern and Celeste continued to gossip and Beth Ann brushed all the stray hair off Fern’s sundress. When she was done, she watched as Fern opened a cotton purse, counted out five small marble stones, and handed them to Beth Ann, informing her that was a tip for a job well done. Then Celeste and Fern headed towards the counter, where the gorgeous female bigfoot paid for their services, before leaving the salon.

Beth Ann looked down at the marbles Fern had placed in her hand and was astonished to see they were opal and jade gemstones.