In Imitation

Curling, twirling, twisting, patting and pulling. Making sure every strand is in its place. We arrive disheveled and unsure. We leave beautiful and confident, with heads held high, the sun creating what looked like glistening drops of dew on a freshly greased scalp.

Every person, from the oldest to the youngest, given the same respect. When you sat in her chair you were treated like family, not the ones you only see on special occasion but the ones who brighten your doorstep with smiles and well wishes regularly. Everyone was welcomed with that warm smile and in her southern drawl an offer of, ‘Sum’n ta drank?’. Ms Bridges is what we called her.

The epitome of the hair styling world. It wasn’t her dress, she wasn’t an eccentric woman, she wasn’t like the modern day stylist working in 6 inch heels, dressed to kill.

No, what impressed upon the 10 year old me was her peaceful nature, her work ethic, the way she moved her long slender fingers working those curling irons, how she slid that piping hot straightening comb through kinks of curls and left smooth silk behind. There was always so much joy, so much laughter and sometimes tears. Ms Bridges sound advice always fell upon listening ears. I would try to read she and my mothers lips, it would seem I always found my way under the dryer when there was good gossip to share.

She wasn’t in a big fancy building or a swaggy suite, her salon was just a sink, a stove and a faded pink table and chair. How was this lady someone I would want to emulate? Let me tell you her story.

She grew up in a big family with not much money, but she would tell us, there was plenty of love and laughter. She was the youngest of 8 girls. Her eldest sister became very very sick, to the point of only being able to lay in bed. Her sister became very depressed and because she could no longer do for herself she became very bitter and mean to everyone around her. Ms Bridges said she wanted to do something to help her sister, but what could she do that everyone else hadn’t already tried and failed?

Recalling how good it felt on Sunday mornings before service, (because lets be honest we know how serious that Sunday slay in the South is), when her mom would grease and brush her hair, so Ms Bridges started going in every morning to grease her sisters scalp and brush her hair, and her sister would close her eyes and start to hum a little song.

Ms Bridges said that put her on top of the world!

The reaction she got out of her sister from such a small act would stay with her forever. She said it brought her the greatest joy to be able to bring a small piece of happiness to her sisters darkest days. She would tell us how soon she was ’playing hair’ on all of her sisters. Of course the money that came in as she got older and achieved her cosmetology license was great, now she could really help her family! But according to her more important was the joy she got from the smiles on her clients faces as she gave them the handheld mirror to see what they had been transformed into!

I wanted to put those smiles on peoples faces, I wanted to make little girls feel like they were leaving equipped to take on whatever this cruel world threw at them, I wanted to take the average everyday woman and bring out the goddess in her!

Because you see, sometimes thats all it takes, a kind word, a listening ear, a warm smile, a flip of the wrist to twirl a curl and you can change someones entire world.

I wanted to be just like Ms Bridges and so I did!

I became a licensed cosmetologist, I have worked in 5 salons, 2 of which I managed, and I have been the proud owner of 2. Ms Bridges is no longer with us but her wise words would come to me whenever I feel overwhelmed by it all. ”You jus’ keep doing whatchu’ doin baby, and when you see the joy you brang to someone else, you’ll get yours back too.” And it worked, every single time.

Folks might call me crazy when I say how I love the smell of hair grease, relaxers and spritz, but I say when I take it all in and close my eyes I’m back at the beginning, and I can still see that sink, that stove and that faded pink table and chair.

Ms Bridges is there too, laughing and smiling and in her southern accent offering, “Sum’n ta drank?”.