Stephanie Gets a Job – Part 5

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PART 4 – CATCH-UP.

Between her and Martha Stephanie has been able to grow her hair to where even when it’s teased up, the flip is still touching the shoulders and Martha has gradually gotten Stephanie’s hair to a nice shade of honey blond without Edna saying anything. Major transformations are a thing of the past.

But this time Stephanie really screwed her hair up.  It looks nothing like the simple teased retro flip she’s been wearing at work to pacify Edna.  But now it’s pretty much a big mess. And like she told Tom, Edna wasn’t going to like it.  NOT AT ALL.  But, Tom’s idea of going to another salon and having them give Stephanie the appropriate style was brilliant.  No one would be the wiser.  With Stephanie’s appointment early in the morning before work, her hair will be in pristine shape when she gets to work.  Edna will be happy and will still have no idea that Stephanie changes her hair when she’s at home.

Stephanie’s hair before she messed it up.

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PART 5

Stephanie leaves bright and early Tuesday morning for Marie’s Beauty Lounge.  She’s really excited.  She’s going to pull this off. She’s going to get her hair fixed and no one will be the wiser.  As she pulls up to Marie’s there’s already a car in the parking lot.  She parks next to it, gets out and heads up to the door.  She takes a deep breath and opens the door.  As she opens the door she hears the jingle of bells announcing her entrance.

“I’ll be right with you… … … … … …  Is that you Stephanie? … … …  Come on back and take a seat.  I’m just picking up a few things.”

As Stephanie walks through a pair of swinging ‘saloon’ doors, she sees a salon sort of similar in style but much nicer than Edna’s.  The stale smell of yesterday’s perms find their way up her nostrils.  Two rows of large hood dryers with shiny pink plastic seats coming out from the wall.

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Three pink wash basins toward the back and 8 styling stations all with those plastic shiny white chairs.  Each styling station has a large mirror with gaudy gold trim, a trolley with a bin of rollers and a shelf with boxes of different perms on it. Very nice, she thinks.  The walls are a light shade of pink and some of the windows have pink and white frilly curtains.  This part of the floor is polished black and white tile and there are large posters of retro hairstyles on the walls.  There’s even a poster of the flip she’s planning on getting.  It appears to be a much more of a full service ‘retro’ salon than Edna’s.

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Stephanie is beaming ear to ear.  ‘This is just great, this is going to work.  This is really great.  I’m going to just sit back, relax and really enjoy this.  I won’t have to worry having Edna telling Martha what to do’.

As she sits down a large woman a little younger than Edna steps out from the back room.  She’s got a short blond hair and wearing a black smock.

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“Hi, you must be Stephanie.  I’m Marie,” Marie says as she walks toward her.  She stops and looks at her funny.  “Do I know you? … … … …  Have you been here before?  You look sooo familiar.”

“Ahh, no.  Never been here.  No, we’ve never met that I know of.  People tell me I do have a common looking face.  I probably look like someone you know.”  That comfort zone that Stephanie has is just starting to wane.

“Yeah probably.  But, I’m usually pretty good.  I usually don’t forget a face.  Oh well.  Let’s see.  You wanted a retro style or something and you had to be done early.  Isn’t that it?”

“Yes, but not just a retro style a flip, a big 60’s flip.  Actually, just like that one right there on that poster.” Stephanie says standing up pointing over to the poster with a teased flip on the wall.”

It’s exactly what she wants; even the girls hair color in the picture is the same as hers.

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“Oh that’s nice, dear. That will look nice. So why a flip?  Why the retro look?” Marie asks Stephanie. “Don’t think anything of it.  I always ask.  I just like to know what makes a person go back retro… … …  For me,” Marie continues before Stephanie could even open her mouth. “I just love it.  I wish those styles would all come back starting with some of those from the 50’s.  My mother started the salon and my sister and I would pretend to work here doing glamorous hair styles.  Hair that you had to do more than just blow dry.  Hair that you went to the beauty shop weekly to maintain and keep that pristine look.  Not like today’s hurry and go styles.  As the times changed I just couldn’t let go.  My mother retired and I had my license and just stayed with what I loved.  And I’m not the only one.

We’ve got quite a clientele and there are other salons similar to this one all over town.  As a matter of fact my sister has a nice little beauty shop across town.  Although I must say it’s been years since someone as young as you have come in here looking for a nice style… …  A flip you say.  We’ll we should be able to do that.”

Stephanie finally gets a word in.  “Yes, a nice flip. Teased just a little. Just like that picture.  I like virtually all the older retro looks and my husband even likes them for a change.  Today I’m thinking a nice big flip.”

“Now you say you’ve got to be done by 10?” Marie asks as she starts to brush out Stephanie’s tangles.  “My you’ve got quite a messsss… … … … h e r e, dear. … … …   Are you sure we haven’t met before?  “Maybe you came in for another retro style in the past … … … you just look so familiar.  Oh well, it will come to me.”

Again Stephanie has trouble getting a word in, but finally “and I can’t imagine where we could have met.  I’m very seldom in this side of town.  Don’t know.  And yeah, I’m going to meet my husband for brunch around 10.”

“Awe … ooo … … I’ll be back in a second”, Marie says and hurriedly heads to the back. As soon as she gets in back she grabs her phone and anxiously dials.

“Hello.  This is Edna.  How may I help you?”

“Edna, this is Marie.  Guess who I’ve got sitting in my chair right this instant.”  Before Edna can say anything, Marie blurts out – “your young cute little stylist – Stephanie.”

“No, no.  You must be mistaken.  What would she be doing at your place?  And besides, Martha takes care of her hair.”

“I don’t know, but she’s sitting in my chair right now asking me to give her a 60’s flip.  She says she love’s the retro look and wants to have it done before 10 because she’s got someplace to go.”

“No… no… no…  She’s already got a flip.  Martha takes care of her.  Besides she’s supposed to be here at 10. … … … … … It can’t be her.  You’ve got to be mistaken”, Edna answers in disbelief.  “No, it can’t be.  Why would she go to you? … … … What makes you think it’s her?”

“Remember a couple weeks back when your car was in the shop.  I picked you up from work to go to bridge club.  You pointed her out to me as she left the shop.  You were bragging about how your young new stylist was really picking up all the old styles.  We’ll… as soon as I saw my client this morning.  I knew I saw her before and it finally dawned on me where.  So I called you to see what I should do.”

“What’s she doing there again?” Edna asks still doubting that it could be Stephanie.

“She just wants me to give her a simple 60’s flip.  Nothing fancy, just a big flip. I must say her hair is a real rats nest.  Looks like she’s been trying to fix it herself and really messed it up.”

“Really?  Well… … that could be Stephanie.  She has always had trouble doing her own hair.  Martha takes care of it at least once a week.  I’ve always wanted her to get something really short for a while now.  Something she can easily manage herself.  But she and Martha talked me into a flip for the time being.”

“OK.  Well.  What do you want me to do?” Marie asks in a lets speed this thing up tone.  “I’ve got a customer waiting.”

“Marie, I still can’t believe it’s her.  I’ll tell you what.  I’ll call her cell from the other line.  If you hear it ring, then it’s her.  Hang on.”

Edna goes to the shop phone and dials Stephanie’s number.  Sure enough, Marie see’s Stephanie dig through her purse and answer it.  She’s on it for just a minute and hangs up.

“Edna, Edna, it’s her.  Her phone rang and she picked it up.  What did you tell her?”

“I just told her that her 10:30 cancelled and she didn’t have to be here until 12:30.  I was thinking. … … …  I was thinking … … … … … ….  I was thinking that should give you time to give her that simple easy to maintain ‘retro’ style I’ve been trying to have Martha give her.  Something simple that she can manage without any effort,” Edna says devilishly.

“You mean … … …”.

Edna cuts Marie off.  “Yes, NO FLIP.  Something short.  Something nice and short  maybe with a nice perm.  Something nice and retro.  Something that’s not going to cause her any trouble for a long time.  Do whatever.  But, make it so it will  maintain itself.  Something she can’t mess up… … and… … … …” Edna giggles.  “Give her one of those high hairlines Mom was famous for.”

“Are you sure?  Are you really sure?  She’s so young and her hairs so long”.

“Oh yeah.  That’s something we should have been done months ago.  Yeah, go for it. … … …  I was planning on doing something to her myself shortly, if Martha wouldn’t.”

“OK, if you say so… … and hey, be sure to let me know how it goes when she shows up today,” Marie says giggling.

“Oh hey, Marie,” Edna laughs again. … … …  Change her color… … …

“WHAT?”

“Yeah, that’s right.  Change her hair color. … … … Martha has her wearing that… … … that honey blond.  That’s not very retro.  Give her a nice retro color.  Midnight black or Platinum or red or… … … Oh you’ll think of something.” Edna doesn’t give Marie a chance to answer and hangs up the phone.

Marie just stands there for a second looking at the phone.  Then she gets a big smile on her face and laughs saying under her breath. “Oh Steph you’re in for quite a time today.”

She heads over to the cupboard and pulls down a box of red hair dye.  Not just any red, one of the most vibrant orange/red colors.  Something along the line of a Lucille Ball red.

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“Oh she will look fantastic with this” again talking to herself.  As she mixes the color, she’s thinking of how she can get this on Stephanie’s head.

She sets the mixture down and heads back to Stephanie.  She walks right behind her, again playing with her hair.  My young lady this is really one mess.  What did you do to it?  Oh, it really doesn’t matter; let’s see what I can do.”

Stephanie just sits there thinking, is it really that bad.  All she needs to do is put some detangler on it.  What’s she talking about, see what she can do?  Oh well… … as long as she fixes it, I don’t care.

“I’m sorry, but I couldn’t help but overhear some of your call.  Sounds like we’ve got a couple more hours to fix up this mess and complete your new look. Now that I’m working with it, I’m thinking we may just need it.”

“Really, it’s that bad?”  Stephanie questions. All she’s got are a few tangles.

“It’s bad.  First, let’s take care of that hairline.  It’s pretty uneven and sits low on your neck. … … … …   It’s really weak looking, straggling hairs and all.”  Marie shoves Stephanie’s head down and makes a part at the top of the ear.

“What??? My hairline?  Why?”

Click.  Buzzzzzzzz.  “It needs to be done.  It will look so much nicer just a little higher.  I do it to a lot of customers here.  It cleans up the look, any look.  Right now it looks sloppy and will take away for any style we choose.  Besides most of it will be covered.” Marie talks over noise of the clippers explaining as she buzzes Stephanie’s nape up and up and up to her crisp parting.

Marie reaches over Stephanie’s shoulder and picks up a… … …  what looks like a tube of purple toothpaste.  She squeezes out a big gob and while she’s spreading it on Stephanie’s neck she says, “This may sting for a minute, dear.”

“OW!  What is that stuff, it burns.” Stephanie jerks away.

“This,” Marie says as she holds up the purple tube showing Stephanie, “is hairline shaper.”

“What?”

“It’s something that we used to use back in the day quite often.”  She pushes Stephanie’s head down and applies more of the goo.  “This product literally melts those hair follicles.  It’s melting those nasty hair follicles on your neck right now.  Destroying them forever.  That unruly hair on your nape is gone, gone forever and you’ll have a perfectly shaped high neckline forever.  And I must add, a high neckline will look great with your new look.”

“WHAT?????” Stephanie screams.  She continues to feel the burn on her neck.  “Ow! That really burns.  What’s in that stuff.  Ow.”

“Just relax.  It’ll be over in a minute.”

“Like I said, it’s a good old fashioned depilatory.  My mom’s formula. Never seen anything like it.  It melts hair follicles.  Killing them permanently.  Works great.  Mom used it on mine over 20 years ago and mine’s neck is still as smooth as when she did it.  Marie explains all this as she wipes the paste off Stephanie’s neck.

“WHAT????  I DON”T WANT A High hairline.  Just what are you doing to me.  All I want is a simple flip.”  Stephanie wiggles trying to get out of the chair.

Marie firmly pushes down in the chair.  “Sit down, dear.  It’s too late now and it really looks wonderful… … … … and feels even better.”  Marie rubs her hand over Stephanie’s neck.  “Wow that’s really nice now… … like a baby’s behind.  Got rid of quite a few of those tangles too and it looks so much better nice and high like that.  Do you want to feel?”

Nicely shaped new nape:

Stephanie shocked, disgustingly answers, “No, no way.”  She continues to keep her head down.

“OK now, Dear. I’ve got to go in the back again.  I’ll be right back.  I mixed a batch of detangler earlier while I was back there.  I need to go get it.  I’ll be just a second.  And don’t you be thinking of going anywhere, young lady.”

As Marie heads into the back, Stephanie frees her hand out from under the heavy cape and reaches back feeling her nape. “HOLY SHIT!” she blurts out. Smooth isn’t the word for it and so high.  “OMG – what the #@%* are you doing to me?”  She starts to wiggle out from under that cape again.

“Did you say something, dear?”  Marie asks stepping out from the back.

Stephanie hurriedly sticks her hand under the cape as Marie steps out from the back. “No, no nothing.”

Stephanie sees Marie’s carrying a pretty good size squeeze bottle with a pointy tip (like one of those red ketchup bottles they have at diners) and gives her a questioning look.  Marie doesn’t say anything as she sets the bottle on the cart and proceeds to put on rubber gloves.

“Detangler,” Marie blurts out.  Your hair’s in such a mess we better try and save what we can.  I special order this from the same company my mother did back in 50’s.  The same one that made that depilatory I used.  They make it using the same formula my mother requested, just for me.  Pretty powerful stuff too.  Stephanie’s eyes get big as Marie pushes her head down again and begins applying more goo to her head.  She begins working up from what’s left of her nape and before Stephanie can say anything.

Stephanie starts thinking back to the conversation.  Did she say something to Marie to imply she could do all this to her.  Words just start coming out of her mouth.  “New look?  Save what?  Most of my nape will be covered?  What?  What are you doing?  All I want is a simple flip.  What’s that stuff for?  Why is this going to take a couple more hours?  Just what do you think you are you doing to me?”  Stephanie is really in a panic now. (So much for just sitting back and relaxing).

“I haven’t seen hair like this in a long time.  Bad shape, split ends, it even breaks off.  Looks like a rats nest.  This will take some time.  I just hope I can save it.  You’re lucky you came in.” Marie tells Stephanie as she continues to generously apply the goo.

“SAVE IT!?  What are you talking about?  And why is that stuff so red?” Stephanie says almost yelling and still in a panic.

“Like I said, detangler, an exclusive mixture just for this salon.  It will also condition as its detangles.  And your hair certainly could use that.  It’s in terrible shape.  I need to get it in some sort of condition before I put you under a HOT dryer.

Stephanie just stares at her through the mirror.  “I don’t understand? My hair’s not in bad shape. … … … … … … AND why does that stuff look so red?”

“Like I said, your hair’s in the worst shape of any hair I’ve seen for quite some time.  Fortunately for you this formula is very potent and should do the trick.  It will, however, bring out your hair’s natural warm colors. Give your hair a nice fresh look.  Your hair is in such bad shape. Just look at it, we’ve got to do something” Marie states matter-of-factly as she turns the chair so Stephanie is facing the mirror.

Stephanie looks in the mirror.  Her hair’s a mess.  Far worse than when she came in.  Tangled, sticking up all over, half of it covered with red goo.

“Warm colors? What? What are you talking about?”

“Hair isn’t just one color it contains thousands of different shades and those colors combined make up everyone’s own individual hair color.  Like in your case, your hair is not just blond.  Some of the colors of the individual stands may be brown or red or even orange.  Those are the warm colors and this treatment enhances those warm colors as well as detangles and conditions.”  Marie silently patting herself on her back for making up such a good story.  She’s thinking how all that bull sounds really good.  “Just don’t worry about it, even if it brings out red.  It will look really good on you.”

“RED! I don’t want red.  I want a simple flip,” Stephanie again is almost shouting.

“Now you settle down young lady.  You should have thought of that before you went and destroyed your hair.  Now sit still and relax.”  Marie orders. “I will guarantee you you’re going to have one fantastic ‘retro’ look when we’re done.” Marie continues telling Stephanie in a very polite but stern voice.

“Y Y Y Yes, Ma’am.” Stephanie eyes drop from looking directly at Marie through the mirror and scoots back into the chair letting Marie continue.

Stephanie’s concession puts a little smirk on Maries face.  She continues on with her work lathering the hair dye on Stephanie’s head.

“Oh yea, I more thing before the dryers.”  Marie picks up a small color brush and carefully brushes some of that red goo on each of Stephanie’s eyebrows.  “Don’t want to have different color eyebrows, do we?”

Marie puts a cap on Stephanie’s head and leads her to the dryers.  “Thirty, forty minutes under here should bring your hair back to life,” Marie says as she adjusts the dryer and turns it on.  She gently tosses a couple of old magazines to Stephanie to pass the time.

Inside Stephanie is still furious.  She doesn’t know what to do.  Should she bolt out or what or… … … just get her flip over with.  It’s like déjà vue just like what happened when she first went to work for Edna.  Why is it so difficult to get what you want from these old people?  All I want is a simple flip… … … a simple flip.

As Stephanie sits under the dryer, she tries to rationalize what’s happened.  OK, I’m going to leave her with my hair in great shape, an undercut and an old fashioned flip.  Oh and maybe some red highlights in my hair.  Taking a deep breath, really that’s not too bad.  Undercuts are in style and don’t show anyway. I’ll just tell Edna Tom thought undercuts were sexy and that I was experimenting at home with some colors.

Marie stops over checking Stephanie’s hair when her cell phone rings.  Who could that be she wonders nobody calls her cell unless it’s an emergency?

“Hello.”

“Marie, its Edna.  I couldn’t wait.  How’s it going?”

“I’ll be right back, dear.  I’ve got to take this,” she explains to Stephanie on her way to the back room.

“Oh Edna, so far so good.  I gave her a nice new neckline.  One that’s nice and high and right now she’s sitting under the dryer with a mixture of R06 and OR06 on her head.”

“Oh my god!  R06 and OR06?  That’s like fire.”

New Hair Color:

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“I told her it was a detangler and it might bring out a little red.”

“A little red!”  Edna repeats.

“I did it before I cut anything.  I didn’t want her to panic seeing the scissors.  She’s just about done now.  Wish me luck.”

“Oh Marie, I’ve wanted to fix her up since she started and now you’re doing it for me.  Thank you.”

“That’s not a problem.  What are little sisters for anyway.” She says laughing.  “Gotta go now, I’ll call you when I can.  Bye.”

Marie returns and checks Stephanie again.  “OK Dear, all done.  Let’s go shampoo this out and see what we’ve got.  Marie takes Stephanie’s hand and leads her over to the shampoo bowl, tilts her back and proceeds to give Stephanie the best, by far, shampoo/message she’s ever had… even better than Edna’s.

Stephanie melts back and is finally relaxed.

“You like this dear?  My big sis taught me how to do this.  She still says, even to this day, a good shampooing will always make the customers come back.”

Stephanie’s thoughts stop for a second.  That’s the same thing the Edna told her when she first started.

Marie then takes Stephanie’s hand and leads her back over to her station and turning the chair away from the mirror as Stephanie sits down.  Marie now begins combing her hair out.  There’s a rhythm to it.  Stephanie starts to relax again.  So much so, she’s almost in a trance.

“Oh my, that looks great, very authentic.  So retro.  Very nice.  That color suits you well, very well.”

“What?  What?  What suits me?”

Before Marie answers Stephanie feels a tug.

SCHNICK!  SCHNICK!  SCHNICK!

Stephanie looks up.  She’s not facing the mirror and tries to see what’s going on.  Marie firmly holds her head.  “What’s the matter, dear?  I’ve got to get rid of the rest of the tangles.”

“But, your cutting my hair,” Stephanie says tearing up.

SCHNICK!  SCHNICK!  SCHNICK!

“It’ll be fine, Dear.  It’ll be fine.”

SCHNICK!  SCHNICK!  SCHNICK!

Stephanie looks down.  Her eyes full of tears now.  “But I don’t want my hair cut.  It’s was fine.  I don’t want it cut.  How much are you cutting?”  Tears are running down Stephanie’s cheeks now.  She is truly in a panic.

“Now, now, dear.  Relax, just relax.  I have to cut out the rest of those tangles.”

SCHNICK!  SCHNICK!  SCHNICK!

“But, the detangler, conditioner?  How much are you cu… … …?”

Stephanie is cut off.  “I won’t know until I’m done how much I need to cut.  There’s still quite a few knots in it.”

SCHNICK!  SCHNICK!  SCHNICK!

Stephanie again tries to wiggle out from under that heavy cape.  Marie puts her hands on her shoulders and forcibly holds her down while at the same time messaging her shoulders and freshly denuded neck.

Finally calm, the cutting continues.

SCHNICK!  SCHNICK!  SCHNICK!

SCHNICK!  SCHNICK!  SCHNICK!

After what seems like an eternity.  Marie sets the scissors down.

“Oh is that ever cute… … and you’ve got the perfect face for it.”

“Can I see”, Stephanie asks twisting around trying to see.

“Not yet, Dear.  Now let’s give you a just a little curl.”

“What?  “What’s that you say, a “c…u…r…l”?  A worn out Stephanie softly asks.  Her demeanor is now like a colt that has just been broken.  Almost in a daze.  Nothing like that vibrant feisty young woman that entered the salon a couple hours ago in search of a simple 60’s flip.

“Nothing dear, just sit there and relax this may take a while,” Marie sweetly answers.

Marie notices Stephanie take a deep breath and settle into the chair.  Marie then begins takes a comb and pulls a small section of hair up from the forehead and wraps it in the smallest perm rod she has.  She continues working to the back of the head.  Pulling the hair ever so tight that Stephanie lets out a ‘yip’ every once in a while. Finally, Stephanie’s head is covered with tightly rolled perm rods.  She reaches behind her and mixes solution into a small plastic bottle.  Still Stephanie is in a daze.  Oblivious to what Marie has been doing.  Still clinging on to the hope of leaving the salon with some sort of flip.

Marie now takes the bottle and begins liberally applying perm solution to each rod.  The solution is like ice.  After a few rods, Stephanie head jerks and shouts. “What is that?  What are you doing?”  Stephanie takes a deep breath and smells the solution.

“Awwwwwww, a perm.  I don’t want a perm.  All I want is a simple flip.  Like that picture.  That’s all.  Just like that picture.  That’s … …,” Stephanie rants, twisting and turning in her chair getting a glimpse of her in the mirror. All she see’s is her head completely covered with red perm rods.  She squiggles her hand out from under that cape and touches the top of her head feeling nothing but the tightly wound rods.  Reaching back further she feels the baby behind smoothness of her new hairline. “Awwwwww”.

Again Marie cuts her off and pushes her into the chair.  “It’s OK.  I told you, dear, we needed to give you a little curl.  That’s all.  And your hair was in such bad condition.  Now when we’re done here it will be soft, easy to manage and have a nice touch of a curl in it.  It will be fine.  You’ll see.  Everyone will love it.”

Stephanie heard nothing of what Marie was saying.  “MY HAIR!!!  What are you doing to my hair? My hai………r,” her voice trailing off in defeat.

“It will be fine.  You’ll see.  You’ll love it,” Marie says as she continues applying the ice cold perm solution to the rest of the rods.  She then grabs a cotton strip and places it all around Stephanie’s hairline.

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Marie gently takes Stephanie’s hand a leads her over to the dryers one more time.  “You’re almost done, dear.  Almost done.  Everyone is going to love it.”  She literally places Stephanie in the dryer chair and pats her hand.  “It’s OK, Dear, it’s OK”.

Stephanie sits with perfect posture under the dryer in a daze wondering ‘what the hell is happening’.

In what seemed like seconds to Stephanie, Marie comes over to her and again gently takes her hand.  This time leading her back to the shampoo bowl.  Leaning her back into the sink she rinses Stephanie’s and applies the neutralizer.  After a few minutes she removes the rods and gently but thoroughly rinses the hair.  A towel is placed on Stephanie’s head and Marie leads her to a styling chair.  She is covered this time with light weight frilly finishing cape.

“OK, Dear, I’m just going to trim the ends of the perm now.  Make sure those ends are crisp.  Marie picks up her scissors again and proceeds to cut Stephanie’s hair even shorter.

SCHNICK!  SCHNICK!  SCHNICK!

Stephanie shudders at each snip of the scissors.

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Stephanie notices pieces of hair floating down the cape.  Big pieces.

SCHNICK!  SCHNICK!  SCHNICK!

“Is that m…m…my hair? … … … It’s sooooooo red,” Stephanie timidly asks.  “Why’s it so red?”  looking up at Marie, begging for an answer.

“Yes, dear.  Isn’t it a lovely shade of red?  Very retro too.  I guess that detangler brought out quite a bit of your warm highlights,” Marie explains.

Worn down from all everything that’s already happened and no more tears to fill her eyes, Stephanie just looks down and says nothing.

SCHNICK!  SCHNICK!  SCHNICK!

Marie finally sets her scissors down.  “Alright let’s get you set and under the dryer.  When I’m done, your hair should stay put for quite some time.”  Marie is now again taking sections of Stephanie’s hair but this time she’s wrapping it around her finger.  She then picks up a bobby pin and clips her hair in place.  She continues working around Stephanie’s head.  “I haven’t done a pin curl set on someone for years.  Year’s I tell you.  This is going to look real nice on you,” Marie says, never missing a beat of wrapping her hair and pinning it in a curl close to her head.

Stephanie just sits there, knowing there’s nothing she can do.  Still clinging on to a faint hope of leaving with some sort of flip.  Marie interrupts her thoughts as she leads her back to the dryers.  On the way over Stephanie catches a glimpse of her in a mirror across the room.  All she can see is her red hair twisted covered with bobby pins.  Her eyes drop to the floor.

===> https://www.flickr.com/photos/12087115@N05/33754559956/in/dateposted/

“This shouldn’t take too long, dear.  I think I’ll fix your makeup while you dry.  Give you a nice fresh look.”

Stephanie looks up and gives Marie a half smile, knowing what she would say wouldn’t matter anyway.

Marie steps away for a moment and returns wheeling a small trolley with makeup on it.  Marie begins by plucking Stephanie’s eyebrows.  “Just a little shaping here, dear.  They looked too thick for me and wouldn’t really go with your new retro look.”  She continues with her mascara, lipstick and a little rouge on the cheeks.  “There dear, that looks better.  Come dear, you hair should be dry by now.”

Walking back to the styling chair, Stephanie again sneaks a peek in one of the mirrors.  From what she could see, her lips were a very deep red, her brows were arched and her eyelids have a hint of a green hue to them, not to mention the pink rouge on her cheeks.

Stephanie’s new makeup:

==> https://www.flickr.com/photos/12087115@N05/32982404063/in/dateposted/

Definitely a dated look, nothing like anyone would really wear today.  Stephanie again drops her head wondering how she got herself into this mess and continues walking to the styling chair.

Back in the chair Marie proceeds to carefully remove the bobby pins, one by one. Carefully removing each one with the precision of a surgeon, and gently placing each curl into its specified spot.

Stephanie just sits there, numb, wondering how she can even go into work today.

Suddenly, Marie jumps in front of her.  “Oh my god, you are gorgeous.  Better than I ever could have imagined.”  She place her hand under Stephanie’s chin moving her head from one side to the other.  “Absolutely gorgeous.”  She reaches to the counter and picks up a can of AquaNet hairspray.  Then like an artist sealing a painting, she points the can at Stephanie’s hair. “Now, let’s give this a good lacquering.”  She presses the button and sprays it until it is completely saturated.  “Well Dear, are you ready to see the new ‘1955’ Stephanie?”  She almost shouts with excitement turning the chair facing the mirror.

“1955?”  Stephanie’s eye widen as she looks numbly into the mirror.  Looking back at her is a short haired curly bright red haired woman.  Her intense makeup compliments the woman’s hair perfectly.

She slowly moves her hands from under the cape and touches the top of her head.  She doesn’t feel hair.  The feeling is more like a tacky plastic.  She then reaches to the back and feels that smooth nape.  Her mouth is wide open.  She wants to scream, but nothing with come out.

“My flip??????” Stephanie’s finally manages to say.

Marie holds a hand mirror and turns the chair very slowly so Stephanie can take in every angle.  “Oh dear, this is much better than a flip and it will be so easy to maintain.  It shouldn’t move of at least a week maybe two.  Then you can come back here for another set.  Look here”, Marie continues.  “I told you your hairline wouldn’t look so high.  See your hair hides some of it.”

Again Stephanie touches her new permanently smooth nape, rubbing her fingers above the ears to where her new hairline begins.  She continues feeling her nape as she stares at the mirror looking at that bright red hair, almost in shock.

Marie turns her away from the mirror and again and reaches into her smock pocket taking out a small pearl necklace and fastens it around her neck.  She then removes Stephanie’s earrings and replaces them with white pearl ones.

Stephanie’s new retro look:

==> https://www.flickr.com/photos/12087115@N05/32938213572/in/dateposted/

“Now for the ‘piece de resistance’.”  Again Marie reaches into her pocket this time pulling out white pointed glasses and while she’s adjusting them on Stephanie’s nose, says, “These are clear glass glasses.  We carry just for this occasion accentuating the retro look.  You don’t need to wear them all the time, just when you want to look a little more sophisticated.”

==> https://www.flickr.com/photos/12087115@N05/32982391533/in/dateposted-public/

Finishing her adjustments, she steps back again to take a good look.  “Oh my god, you look sensational.  If I didn’t know better I’d say the year is 1955.”

Turning Stephanie toward the mirror one more time, Stephanie feels like a fool.  Here she is in her mid-twenties looking like she just came out of a time warp. A 1050’s time warp to be exact.  Nothing Martha ever did to her, ever looked this severe and retro and long lasting.

As Marie begins to remove Stephanie’s cape, Stephanie hears a loud shriek  coming from the door.  “Awwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww.  I LOVE IT!  I just couldn’t keep away.  My god Marie, she’s beautiful.  I love it”.  As she turns around is sees it’s Edna.

Edna rushes over to Stephanie giving her a big hug.  “You’re so cute, Missy.  You’re so cute.  I absolutely love it.  What til Martha see’s you.  I love it.”

Stephanie’s again goes in shock wondering, what is Edna doing here?

Marie answers her question before she can ask.  “Stephanie, let me introduce you to my big sister.  I think you may already know each other”.

Again Stephanie’s mouth drops open, ‘but, but, bu… … …’.

“Come on, Missy.  Let’s get to work and show everybody the new Stephanie.” Edna says taking Stephanie’s hand.

Stephanie helpless to do anything just takes Edna’s hand and together they walk towards the door.

“Don’t you want to thank Marie, Missy?”

Softly Stephanie looks back at Marie, “thank you, Marie.  It’s lovely”, wondering how she’s ever going to undo this mess.

As Edna opens the door she exclaims, “I think we found a new hair stylist to take care of you from now on Stephanie… … … ….”

“Bye Sis, and THANKS.”

5 responses to “Stephanie Gets a Job – Part 5

    1. Thank you for the kind words.
      Sorry about the links. It’s an old story and Flicker now limits how many pics you can have and they must have gotten deleted during a clean-up. As far as a next part. It’s something I’ve been tinkering with. I’ve just got to get going again with it.

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