A little off the top let the back stay long

Submitted into Contest #33 in response to: Write a story about miscommunication.... view prompt

0 comments

General

Holymoly it has been a while as I thought to myself, looking at my son ,because he couldn't see with hair tufts hanging over his big blue eyes. ALways pushing it out of his way with his dirty hands."It's time to get a haircut youngman" I say to him; there's a long pause and then I hear from the other room, my daughters, screaching reply " no fair !I want a haircut then too." So off to the salon we go.As usual its a big charade, a big flyin fiasco that could've been solved at home if I just could get myself through beauty school and cut all of our hair with skill and precision. But nope ,nada, nil I have no such time to add that to my bag of tricks. Besides its just down the street, a kind of salon that almost cost too much for them to just wash your hair; here I am complaining but I am frugal so I think that it should be free just like everything else. Nonetheless gotta do the monthly haircut shenanigans so why not at the local shop. Low cost and good haircuts what could be wrong, right? Well I won't be running soon to go back though, let me tell you, always be prepared with exactly what style you want in the right words. For the sake of the humble stylist just keep it simple.

We go in ,the stylists who I think are lovely people, seemed to be bothered that I bring children in ,but who can blame them they were just sweeping up the floors possibly getting ready to close up shop since we didn't get there till quarter to 7. So as they get them back and in their chairs both kids faces splashed with disgruntled looks. I politely speak for my children to each stylist and they give me a nod as if they understand to just "do a trim" and I can only brace myself to see the end result. My daughter who is 15 knows better than thou and my son has a image in his head that's to hard to Express exactly how he wants it but casually I let his stylist know just trim the bulk of his hair as he likes the length but it's too thick and in his eyes. I go sit and thumb through some magazines as this is My ME ME ME time to delight in celebrity gossip and ignore my to do list. I look up briefly and my daughter is giddy that she gets to cut 2 inches off her pretty golden locks and my son looking emotionless as the stylist asks him what he wants her to cut and how. At this point everything is going well or as I wished it to be. Walking up to both kids to check the progress, they are happy just getting full attention on them, heck its pleasing to me as well but who will pay for me to get a 100$ haircut- nobody. Still no real action other than piles of my kids hair mucking up the floor. I offer to sweep it, but they declined. I went to sit and shut up.

I look up ,around ten minutes in, and my daughter is loving the hairstyle cut perfectly to fit her face. Success ,I think to myself,she will be beaming and ready to go to school tomorrow and be so thankful that I am best mom ever, oh I wanted to be that so badly. Then my son comes hardstep walking up giving me the "look" like let's leave. I didn't know what to think or say. I thought he looked ok not knowing or observing fully the damage that was undeniably done. I paid gladly at the front, tipped both , and we rushed out the door to the car.

Trying to catch up to him dodging cars he whizzed past me. He was so upset and I felt horrible , what do I do?. He wouldn't let me tell him he looked fine he just rubbed his hands vigorously through his hair and trying to make it look better. I asked him what he told her to cut it like and he said he didn't know what he said but it wasn't what he wanted. His hair was chopped in the front, so short and crooked . I asked if he said to cut the front that way, he said no. The back was completely chopped and asked him if he was asking her to cut more because it was bothering him from being too thick on his neck, he said no. But Reminded me that I told her to cut bulk out and that's why she cut the beautiful curls he had going on. I had to defend myself since I said to only "trim" but yes I said to cut bulk but think I meant ,I want it thinned not butchered looking like damage from a weedwhacker. I felt awful. He felt awful, my daughter on the other side of the car was beaming with delight from her fresh do and was enjoying watching her brother look at himself in the mirror.

Well I know what I didn't do is tell the hairstylist to cut off the back of his hair. See my son is a Hockey player and is serious about his hair. I did say " trim" and mostly take the bulk away. Well I wasn't clear enough with choice words. She took the bulk away and all his Hockey helmet curls.. so I can't win for losing. The tale end of it is I always make one child mad while trying to make the other child happy, but does anyone ever think is mama Happy??? I say to myself daily try to Laugh or you will only cry baby cry.

Matter of fact it has stopped me from going to the salon for my own hair. I do need a haircut badly but I don't know any good salons, do you?

March 19, 2020 23:42

You must sign up or log in to submit a comment.

0 comments

Bring your short stories to life

Fuse character, story, and conflict with tools in the Reedsy Book Editor. 100% free.