Tuesday, September 6, 2011

Discrimination or Keeping it Real? PART 1

I have the WORST luck when it comes to hair salons. The worst! In fact, I've blogged about it before. Well this time is even worse than the last. This experience is so hard to believe that it will take two posts just to share it. Here goes...
I realize you get what you pay for but I am a budgeter and $50 on a haircut just doesn't fly with me so  I usually go to the cheap place. I can sometimes get a cut for less than $10. I decided to step it up a bit and go to the $15 salon, in the hopes that the slightly higher price will mean a better quality cut.
I arrive there at 11am. there is a glamour looking girl with three customers lined up in the back. She is dying one head, perming one, and cutting another. She must be good, I thought. I step up to the sign in sheet and notice where you select a stylist everyone had "Melinda". I did not know Melinda so I just signed in. Melinda, whom was doing 3 girls head at once, hollers to the back "ESTHER!"
A lady who looked a hot mess peered out from the back room. Melinda yells to her "she's here for a haircut." "Oh, says Esther, I just assumed she was here for you, since everyone else is." Esther comes up to greet me. I notice she has a pretty sever limp. That worries me. 
Looks like Esther


Hey don't judge me!




As she drags her limp leg behind her I am panicking I can just tell this is gonna be bad. Esther's hair looks dried up, frizzy, out of style etc. 
Esther is old. 
Esther looks absent in the brain. 
Esther is squinting like she can barely see.
Oh Shit Oh shit I am panicking. I want to run out of the salon but I decide that is not the right thing to do. Calm down I tell myself her leg has nothing to do with her haircutting abilities. So I smile at Esther and ask if she will be cutting my hair, I am secretly hoping she is just the shampoo girl. She says she will be cutting my hair. She then rears back and tosses a deadish arm onto the counter. What the hell?  I try not to stare at the arm but come on you got to be kidding me? How can she cut my hair with no feeling in her arm? Oh My god. Okay now I am freaking out. Her arm does not work. I look around the salon nervously hoping someone will save me but.... nope. I know it is wrong and I do not want to discriminate but I do not want a one-working arm person cutting my hair. Oh god, this can't be good. But then I tell myself if she could not cut hair she would not be working here. I chastise myself for discriminating and decide to put a smile on my face and trust Esther. 
 I feel it in my gut. This is not gonna turn out well. But It would be very discriminatory if I walk out now so I am stuck. I ask Esther for a hairstyle book. She hands me one for men? Damn Esther can you even see? I am a woman! That worries me. I tell her I will need a woman's book and she apologizes and takes 15 minutes locating a book for me. I quickly find what I want, a simple bob.
A Simple BOB
I ask Esther if she can do it, she says a "piece if cake." So off we go. When we arrive at her booth she turns my chair completely around from the mirror. She gets to work a snipping and cutting, never once turning me to face the mirror, so I am clueless. An hour later she is done. I look in the mirror. 
What the hell Esther? 
This is not a bob! 
I look like....................................................................................................................................................
Esther. 
I have shoulder length choppy uneven hair. She raves about the great cut and says "don't you love it?" I do not want to hurt Esther's feelings but I am so sick of leaving a salon with some crap ass hair cut. So I act like it is me. I say " I know I did not make it clear (lie, because I did make it clear and showed her the picture) but I want it shorter."  "Shorter?" she asks in disbelief. "Yes, you know, like the picture." I remind her. "Oh well I like it longer" she says. "Well that's nice Esther but I want it shorter, like the picture." "Are you sure?" she asks me. 'Yup" I say. "Okay" she says. She then cuts again for about 30 minutes and then spins me around to face the mirror.
 It looks exactly the same! 
"Esther I really would like a short, blunt defined cut." I say trying to decide if I should just give up and go home. It's already been an hour and a half. "Oh she says. I like this cut better" "Well it is not your hair Esther and I want a short bob." "Can you do that?" I ask her. Yes I have been cutting bobs for years. I am capable of cutting a bob. I just do not think you would look good in a bob." Odd that she did not tell me that an hour and a half ago when I choose that particular style. "Well I want one and its my hair I say." becoming a bit irritated. "You are right" she says and recoils as if I had scolded her. "Okay, okay. I'll cut the bob" Esther relents.
You won't believe what happens next stay tuned for part two.
Question though...Honestly.


Do you think It was discriminatory for me to feel the way I felt about Esther's capabilities to cut my hair once I saw her handicap? Would you have allowed Esther to cut your hair?

9 comments:

  1. Oh Roc this made me howl. I am so sorry but it was funny.... "She then rears back and tosses a deadish arm onto the counter" OMG girl that is a damn hoot.

    Look it may very well be discriminating to most but damn it I would feel the same. I mean would you allow a blind person to drive your car? No. It's safey - she has a sharp instrument in her hand for pete's sake!! As you know now - You always want the person who is busy. I would have left while I still had hair....I would never had made her try to do anything on my head and do this again!
    I hope there are photo's when part II is up.

    I also would pay for a very good cut once by someone and then have the low price place copy the cut from then on.

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  2. I'd be running from that salon. It's horrible but true. I'm not sure she should be working cutting hair as you are living proof she should retire, sorry. It's kind of like asking a blind person to drive you to the airport. Can they? Sure. But should they? Probably not.

    Picture please!

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  3. Um...It takes a certain physical dexterity to cut hair. If she had a lame arm, I'd be running for the door!

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  4. What the hell? You asked for Melinda...even if you had to come back later, that's who you wanted! It's not about whether or not you want Esther.

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  5. No more Esther. And you should have been taking pictures to post at each step.

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  6. Geez, I'm almost afraid for the next step and no you were not being discriminatory. If her equipment (arms/hands) are not in proper working order she should not be wielding scissors near your head.

    If you want less expensive hair cuts look up the local salon school. All cutting is supervised by a teacher and I'm assuming none of the student's have limited mobility in their hands.

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  7. Hey you can't leave us hanging like this - where is part II and the pictures????

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  8. Judging her b/c of the like...slightly discriminatory. Thinking "Run like the wind, Bullseye" at the limp arm? Hardly. Seriously, how was she able to hold the scissors well? I don't pay much at salons anymore either but I'm w/the earlier commenter: you asked for Melinda; you should have gotten Melinda.

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  9. Becuase of the LEG...ugh. I need coffee.

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