Sarah was hardly able to contain herself as she approached the office. She didn’t normally feel like this on a Monday morning, especially if she’d slept as little as she had last night, but today was special. She nervously twisted the ring on her finger as she walked through the doors.
Maria and Sophie were already at their desks and looked up as Sarah approached.
“Morning Sarah.” Maria did a quick double take. “Smart hairdo. Oh yes, you said that Steve’s gran was taking you for a perm. Looks like she got her money’s worth; she really did have you clipped like a poodle!”
Sarah frowned, and her hand strayed unconsciously to the freshly clipped back of her neck. “Well, yes, I suppose it is a bit shorter and tighter than I usually have it, but Mrs. Stewart has very firm ideas about hairstyling, and she wanted it taken right off my collar.”
She smiled. “It was well worth it, though. She dragged Tina, Steve’s sister, along as well. There was a party for Steve’s parent’s anniversary on Sunday, so she had to have her hair done too, and her Gran made her have it permed and set, just like mine.”
Maria smiled, and touched her own short, tight curls. “Well I’m sure you both looked very smart indeed. How does she like being a curly girl?”
Sarah leant on her desk, splaying her fingers out, her nails short and clean. “She wasn’t happy at all at first, but I managed to reassure her that it wasn’t all bad, and I think she’d actually come around to the idea by the time we got home. Steve’s mum was delighted. She had a quiet word with me, and thanked me for helping to get Tina ’back into line’, I think that’s how she put it.”
“And what about Steve?” Sophie butted in. “How did he like having the two of you matching?”
“Oh, he loved it.” Sarah shrugged. “Said that he was really proud to have his sister and his, uh, girlfriend both looking so presentable and feminine.” Sarah brought her left hand up to her face, and ostentatiously scratched her nose. Finally, Maria picked up on Sarah’s prompts.
“Oh my god! Is that what I think it is?” She shrieked. “Did he…?”
Sarah couldn’t contain herself. “Yes! He popped the question. I’m going to be Mrs. Barlow! And…” She paused for dramatic effect. “I want both of you to be bridesmaids!”
After the initial squealing and rush of questions had died down, Maria gave Sarah a thoughtful look.
“So…….” she began, slightly unsure of herself. “Most brides grow their hair out for the big day. Are you going to, uh….?” she trailed off.
“Fat chance.” Sarah replied. “I mean, if you’d asked me six months ago, I suppose I would have loved the idea, but now, well, I’m a short and curly girl, and that’s not going to change. Even if I wanted to, Steve loves me short and curly, and what would be the point of struggling to grow it out, only to cut it off again after the wedding?
“Actually, I’d be quite happy walking down the aisle with my tight little perm, but both mums have already decided that I have to have a proper, formal shampoo and set.”
She shrugged. “That’s fine, it keeps everybody happy, and it’s a lot less fuss than the kind of big fancy updo I’d probably have had if my hair was long.”
“Mmm, I suppose so.” Maria looked thoughtful. “And I guess Steve’s Mum will want Tina’s hair done the same?”
“Ah, not quite. Tina’s going to be a bridesmaid too – did I say that? – and Barabara – that’s Steve’s mum – wanted a bit of a contrast between me and the bridesmaids, so I’m having a traditional set, like the mums, and she’ll be having a fresh perm, really short and tight, a proper little poodle. She seemed OK with that, actually. She said at least she wouldn’t be spending the morning of the wedding under the dryer with spiky rollers in.”
“Soooo..” Maria asked slowly. “If she wants a contrast with the bridesmaids, then…”
“Oh, yes, well, it would be lovely if you and Tina were matching. As long as you’re happy to commit to having your hair permed again?”
Maria shrugged, philosophically. “Well, it will keep Mum happy, and Wendy.” She hadn’t really given serious thought to whether to keep her curls or grow them out. The perm had certainly made her life easier, and even Andy seemed to like it, though It did feel a bit like she was giving in, or giving up, too easily. Perhaps she should just admit to herself that she actually liked having her hair short and curly, and accept the new Maria with good grace. She smiled at Sarah, and they both realised that Sophie was keeping very quiet.
“Oh, Sophie, I, er.” Sarah stumbled. “Look, what I’m trying to say is, there’s no pressure, OK? It would be lovely to have three matching bridesmaids, all with neat little perms, and Steve’s family would really love it, but it’s far more important to me that you’ll be there with me, whether your hair is straight or curly, OK?”
“Oh, er, yes, er. Thank you, Sarah. I’ll think about it, I really will. I want to be there for you, and I don’t want to spoil anything.”
Sarah smiled graciously. “Thank you Sophie. It means a lot to me that you’ll be there, it really does. And don’t worry about your hair, OK?”
Of course, Sarah’s words had done little to reassure Sophie, and over the last two weeks, it felt like she had done nothing but worry about her hair. It wasn’t as though she had ever actually liked the clumsy bob that her Mum had given her, and she had been more or less resigned to Wendy’s demands to have it cut up over her ears, even daring to hope that, whilst it would mean losing even more hair, it might actually look like a proper style, and perhaps less frumpy than the bob.
Sarah’s request, though, however much she told her that it was ‘entirely up to her’, had thrown a cat among the pigeons. A short, tight perm would likely be even less flattering than her current cut, and she’d be stuck with it for ages. Maria was clearly keen on the idea of Sophie looking like ‘a proper little poodle’, and was happily telling her how much she’d enjoy it when, not if, she had her hair cut and permed.
Wendy had, of course, heard all about it, and would regularly ask Sophie whether she’d made a hairdressers’ appointment yet. When Sophie prevaricated, Wendy would tell her “Well you know you need it cut up neatly over your ears, why not simply have it permed at the same time?”
These continued assumptions that she would eventually give in and allow herself to be poodled had played on her mind constantly. She would swing wildly between an emphatic denial that this would ever happen – Sarah had, after all, told her that her presence was the important thing, not the state of her hair – and deciding that she should simply be done with it, book herself an appointment at Jean’s and ask for a short, tight poodle cut. The thought would make her shiver.
She was no more decided as she came into the office after the weekend, hoping that work would distract her, and that Maria and Wendy would leave her in peace. She was to find another spanner thrown into the works, though.
Even before she had sat down, Sarah thrust an imposing envelope at her. It was addressed in flowing script to Miss Sophie Collins, Bridesmaid. She opened it. It was an invitation to Sarah and Steve’s engagement party. She quickly skimmed through it.
Mr. and Mrs. Howard Barlow
request the pleasure of your company
at a celebration of the engagement
of their son, Steven to Miss Sarah Eavis.
The party was in two weeks, and the dress code was described as ’formal’.
“How exciting!” She smiled at Sarah. “This must make it all start to feel very real.”
“Oh yes, it does. I still have to pinch myself sometimes.”
Maria looked up from her invitation. “What does ‘Dress code: Formal’ mean, exactly?”
“Ah yes, Barbara gave me strict instructions about that.” Sarah pulled a face. “You’ll need to wear what she called a ‘proper evening dress’, which means a posh frock, basically, but long, ankle length really, no splits up the side or anything, and a modest neckline, shoulders covered. I don’t know if you’ve got anything like that, but I’m happy to go shopping together?”
“Ooh, yes, let’s have a shopping trip! You up for that, Sophie?”
“Yes, I definitely need a new frock! At the weekend? We’ll have been paid by then.”
“True.” Maria nodded, already looking forward to the trip. “Anything else, Sarah?”
“Er, well, if you want to get in Barbara’s good books, then keep your makeup and jewellery toned right down, and leave the four-inch heels behind.” She smiled, awkwardly. “And there was one other thing. Um. Barbara requested that all the ladies in the bridal party – which definitely includes you two – have their hair set for the party. And as you can imagine, by ‘set’ she means something quite formal, and traditional. I hope you don’t mind, but it’s just for the one night.”
“Oh, no, it’ll make a nice change.” Maria fluffed up her curls. “And Mum’s been itching for an excuse to get me rollered up and under the dryer.”
Sophie said nothing.
“Oh, er, Hi Sophie.”
“Hello Sarah.”
“I’m glad I caught you, I wanted to have a word about the party.”
Sophie said nothing, so Sarah carried on.
“I noticed that you were very quiet when I mentioned having your hair done for the party.”
“Mmmm.”
“So, well, I wanted to say.” She paused. “I don’t want to be a pushy bride, and I don’t want to put pressure on you, but I’d really appreciate it if you had your hair curled for the party.”
She went on in a rush. “You don’t have to have it cut, or permed, just a simple shampoo and set which will wash straight out.” She tried to sound contrite. “I actually thought it might be a good chance for you to see how you like having curly hair, before you decide about having a perm for the wedding.
“And as much as anything, I just don’t want you to feel like the odd one out. All the other ladies are going to have these really smart hairdos, and you might feel a bit left out if you just had your plain little bob.”
Sarah paused, not having the slightest idea how Sophie would react to this, and immediately regretting the way she’d described Sophie’s hair.
“Hmph. Well, you know I don’t like this bob that Mum keeps giving me. But I’ve never liked having my hair curled, either. Mum made me have it set a few times when I was younger, when she wanted me looking extra smart, but I hated it.”
“Well,” Sarah replied, reasonably, “you’re a grown woman now, not a teenager, so perhaps you’ll find that a more grown up hairstyle suits you a bit more.”
Sophie looked hard at Sarah, trying to decide if she was being sincere. Eventually she decided that she didn’t really have anything to lose, and she would, at least, be making her friend happy.
“Oh, alright then. I’ll have it set for the party. I’m not promising anything for the wedding, though.”
“Oh, thank you Sophie. I just know you’ll look lovely with your hair all neatly curled.”
“Hi Mum.”
“Oh, hello Sophie, how was your day?”
“Oh, er, good thanks. Um, can I come and stay, er, not this weekend, but next?”
“Of course you can, dear, it’s always lovely to see you. Any special reason?”
“Um. Well. I er, I wonder if you could book me an appointment. With Judith. To, er, have my hair done.”
“Really? Of course, dear. I take it we’re talking about a nice, sensible, short haircut?”
“Well, there’s two things, actually.” She took a deep breath. “My boss says that I need my hair cut short, so that it’s off my ears.” She paused. “Well that’s easy enough. You always used to have it like that anyway. I don’t know why you let it grow out into that fussy mess in the first place. What was the other thing?”
“Well, Sarah’s having an engagement party, and her new mother-in-law wants all of the bridal party matching, so I, er, I have to have a shampoo and set.” Sophie briefly closed her eyes, not quite believing what she’d just said.
“How lovely! I’ll get to see you looking nice and presentable for once. And when is the party?”
“It’s on the Saturday evening.”
“Well come down on Friday, and I’ll book you in for first thing on Saturday morning then. Judith does lovely smart sets. She’ll have you looking like a proper young lady for the party, don’t you worry.”
“Thanks, Mum.”
Sophie wasn’t quite sure what she’d let herself in for, but there was no going back now.
“I wonder if you could do me a favour?”
“Of course, Maria, what is it?”
“Well I don’t know if Andy’s told you, but we’re going to an engagement party in a couple of weeks, and it’s a posh do, so he really needs to look smart. I’ve been nagging him to get his hair cut for the last couple of weeks, but he hasn’t done anything. I wondered if you could have a word with him?”
“Yes, I’m afraid he’s let it get rather scruffy again. I have told him, but of course, he never listens to his mother! We can’t have him showing you up at the party, though. I expect he needs a proper short back and sides, like last time?”
“Yes, definitely. The girls are all having their hair set, and I don’t want him letting me down by looking scruffy.”
“Hmmm…. You know, I’ve just had an idea. Could you pop in here on Saturday morning, say about ten o’clock?”
“Er, yes, I think so. Can I ask why?”
“Well, let’s just say I might have a surprise for you.”
“Oh, Hi Babe, I wasn’t expecting you?” Andy was clearly pleased to see Maria, and didn’t notice her frowning at the untidy hair curling over his ears and flopping onto his forehead. It wasn’t nearly as long as it had been before his last haircut, but it looked terribly scruffy. She could see that she was going to have to put her foot down, and make him go to the barbers before the party.
“Your Mum asked me to pop round. I don’t know exactly why, she was a bit mysterious about it.”
“Oh. Well, she’s in the kitchen, she’s, er, having her hair done…”
Maria bustled through into the kitchen without waiting to be asked. Andy’s Mum was sitting on a straight backed kitchen chair, her head three-quarters covered with perm rods. There was a large pile of blonde and silver locks swept up in a corner.
“Hello Maria, I thought you might like to see that I took your advice, and gave Brenda a call.”
Brenda looked up from winding in the last rollers. “Hello, dear. I’ll have to put you and your mum on commission, bringing me new clients like this.” She smiled.
“Yes, I told Brenda that I was fed up with having to spend so much time just to make my hair look presentable, and I needed a nice short perm like yours, that I wouldn’t have to fuss with.”
“Oh, I’m so pleased that you did, Mrs. Hill. You’ll love having it permed again. It’s so much easier, and I’m sure you’ll appreciate knowing that you’ll always look tidy and presentable. So I guess this was the surprise that you had for me then?”
“Call me Janet, dear. Well, it was part of it. There’s another part coming, but you’ll have to wait for that.”
“Ooh, I’m intrigued now!”
Brenda had now finished rolling Janet’s hair, and had carefully wrapped a strip of cotton wool around her hairline. She snipped the top from a bottle of perm solution, and carefully applied it to each perm rod.
They chatted amiably as the chemicals did their work, Andy in equal parts fascinated by the process and uncomfortable about being in such an unfamiliar setting. Once Janet had been neutralised and rinsed, Brenda set about the tight curls with her comb and scissors once more.
“Now we already got rid of most of that fussy long hair that you didn’t need, I’m just giving you a last little trim and tidying you up to get that lovely neat little poodle shape that my ladies like so much.”
Maria watched, fascinated, as Brenda’s nimble hands snipped away, removing the last traces of Janet’s modern bob, and replacing it with an immaculately rounded cap of tight curls.
“Now I’ve left that long enough on top for a really smart set, if you want to, but I think for today, we’ll just dry you off and leave you nice and curly.”
Brenda did just that, unable to resist giving Janet a long blast of perfumed lacquer, and patting a couple of fractionally out of line curls back into place. Janet got up and examined her hair in a mirror.
“Oh, that’s lovely! Just what I needed! Don’t you think so, Maria?”
“Oh, I do. It really suits you. And you’ll still be able to have it set for special occasions, like my mum does.”
“Now,” Brenda announced, turning to Maria. “Speaking of special occasions, your mum asked me to come and trim your hair up and give you a shampoo and set next weekend, for a very posh engagement party.”
“Oh, yes, it’s for my friend Sarah. Her new mother-in-law wants everyone looking their best, so all the girls are having their hair set, and we’ve all bought new frocks, too.”
“That sounds lovely, dear. And what about the boys?”
“Well, best suits, obviously,” Maria glanced at Andy, suddenly realising what the second part of her surprise might be. “And nice, smart, short haircuts.” Andy’s eyes widened as he, too, realised what was happening.
“And at least one of those boys looks like he’s been avoiding the barbers. Come on young man. In the chair. We need to get you smartened up.” Brenda had been briefed earlier by Janet, and told to get Andy into her chair, and not take no for an answer.
“Oh, I er, I was going to get it cut, really, I just er.”
“Nonsense.” Mrs. Hill interrupted. “Maria and I have both been telling you for weeks that you needed your hair cutting, even before this party. You’re having it cut right now. Come on.”
With her new, no-nonsense tight perm, iron grey now that all the carefully applied blonde highlights were in a pile on the floor, Andy’s mum wasn’t in any mood to listen to excuses.
Andy looked helplessly at Maria, who simply indicated the chair with her eyes. He reluctantly made his way over and sat down. He briefly thought that, at least, Brenda probably wouldn’t give him quite such a severe cut as the irritable old barber whose shop he’d stumbled into last time. He then remembered the many haircuts he’d endured when he was younger, with his mother supervising, and realised that was perhaps a forlorn hope.
Brenda wrapped the cape tightly around his neck and wet his hair down thoroughly from a plastic spray bottle. Her comb tugged sharply through the tangles, oblivious to Andy’s discomfort.
“Right, what are we doing, Mum?” Brenda was clearly not interested in what Andy might want.
“He needs a proper short back and sides, please. He had a nice smart cut not so long ago, but he doesn’t seem to appreciate that it needs to be kept that way.”
“So clipped down nice and tight, and right off his ears then. Good job I brought my big clippers. Head down.”
Andy had little choice, as Brenda’s left hand forced his chin into his chest. There was a loud pop as the clippers started, and with no hesitation, they were run straight up the back of his head.
“I don’t do many boy’s haircuts,” Brenda remarked to Janet, “but I’m always happy to get them smartened up when it’s needed.”
She carried on using the clippers to remove the last two months worth of Andy’s hair growth, bending his ears down firmly to get in behind them.
“I think the last time was a few months ago.” She mused. “One of my regular ladies had her nephew staying with her. He had horrible scruffy long hair, like far too many boys seem to these days. He refused to keep it clean and tidy, and wouldn’t even let her put a comb through it. She couldn’t bear the thought of taking him to church looking like that, so once I’d done Cynthia’s shampoo and set, she told him that she’d had enough, and he was having it cut short.”
She put down the clippers, and began attacking the top of Andy’s hair with comb and scissors.
“He kicked up a bit of a fuss, of course, but Cynthia put her foot down. She’d been telling him for days that if he wouldn’t keep it washed and combed then it would have to be cut, but he hadn’t taken her seriously.” Brenda smiled as she reminisced.
“I sat him down in the chair and gave him a proper schoolboy’s cut. Clipped nice and short, and a neat side parting. Cynthia told me later that his mum was delighted, she’d hated his long hair, and had been trying to get him into the barbers for ages. And since I cut it, she’s keeping him short and smart. Now, which side do you want his parting?”
“Left, please. That’s where he always has it.”
Andy’s fringe was combed down and snipped off at a sharp angle. Brenda picked up her thinning shears, and thrashed through the remaining thick and wavy hair on top until she was satisfied that it would behave itself, then forced his hair into a perfectly straight side parting and combed it neatly back off his forehead. She nodded to herself.
“How’s that for you, Mum? Smart enough?”
Also published at https://f35hstories.wordpress.com/
Well done, as enthralling as ever.
Thanks Julie 🙂 I’d love to chat hair with you, if you’d like? You can contact me through the blog, linked at the end of the story.
Again, the shorter the hair the tighter and smaller the perm curls, the more easier is the hairstyle to maintain ….. a short wedge cut bubble perm is a perfect hairdo ….. looks femme but so easy as like wash and go ….. now a woman with a short bubble perm and ladylike dressed, long skirt best pleated and highl collared ruffle lace blouse best buttoned down the back or a victorian like dress, then the man should be outfitted to this standard as well ….. yes this chapter offered exactly this in perfection