Dating....Again

A couple years ago I heard these words that girls dread: "Im leaving." My heart fell, tears welled up in my eyes, I felt hot all over. We had known each other since 8th grade, parting ways after high school for a few years, then hooking back up while I was in nursing school. We had history, we had friends together. We had been through some tough times and some good times together. From the outside it may have seemed to a casual onlooker that I just sat back and let the other person do all the work, that it was all about me and looking good, but I paid my price, trust me. And then some. I couldnt believe it was about to all fall apart.

Yes, my hairstylist was moving to another town.

She and I did go way back. We cheered together in junior high, and worked our first jobs together under the golden arches. One time, and I really love telling this story, we were spending the night together at her house doing what all junior high aged girls do. Fixing each other's hair. Prophetic, dont you think? Anyway she was curling my hair and accidentally dropped the curling iron in my lap. On. My. Bare. Legs. Ouch. Reflexively I closed my legs together to catch the curling iron. Of course I got a horrible burn on the inside of one of my thighs, just above the knee. It looked as if someone with giant burning lips had kissed me on the leg. How embarassing to be an 8th grade cheerleader in a 7th-12th grade school in a short skirt with this huge disfiguring mark. Needless to say, she never curled my hair again.

I'd had a string of short relationships with hairstylists. I'd even committed HAIRSTYLIST ADULTERY going to a walk in place (one rhymes with Hamtastic Hams, another one Poopercuts), and even taking my hair into my own hands and trimming my own bangs when I couldnt get an appointment. But I would always tuck tail and run back, beg for forgiveness, a shampoo, cut and style. We had made some bad decisions together (a perm or two, and an assymetrical cut ala Molly Ringwald) but there was just a comfort, a security there. I could get my hair cut and make my next appointment for 5 weeks, lather, rinse, and repeat.

So here I was, unwillingly thrust back into the hairstylist dating scene. Its brutal, and scary to say the least. I went to a few of the mall based high priced places and got cheap temporary thrills, only to wake up the next day broke and longing for that connection that you can only get with a regular relationship. So in a moment of desperation I did the only thing I hadnt tried. A site with hundreds if not thousands of connections online.

Yes, I posted an urgent request on Facebook.

I got a response from a friend within minutes. I could try her hair guy, here's the number...... She had been with him for years, he was great, she said. I took the bait. He could see me the next day. Now I tend to be impulsive when it comes to hair (sometimes without such a great result such as the Bozo The Clown Haircolor Fiasco of Fall 2009 but that is another post), but next day was acceptable. This was the most promising of any offer I'd had and I didnt want to blow it. I had to be cool, not appear desperate, even though I was.

I'd been with other men before. Let me just say there is NOTHING in this world like a guy cutting your hair. Who else knows what looks good on a girl than a guy? I mean seriously. I had a short fling with one guy. He was young, cute, but played for the other team ifyouknowwhatimean. He did me up right, girl. But he moved to a new shop farther away and jacked up his prices. Staying with him might mean giving up satellite tv or diet coke, and thats just not how I roll. But the hair goddesses were shining down on me the next day when I went for my appointment. The salon, which has the word "couture" in it (whats that mean, anyway?), is very sleek and bright and high class looking, not all high trafficky like going to the mall. I liked him already!

I showed him my picture of what I wanted my hair to look like (been carrying it around in my dayrunner for years, if I lose it I guess I have to go all Sinead O'Connor) and he was good with it.
He shampooed my hair himself (no extra shampoo girl to tip)and got to cuttin. Having a mutual friend helped with conversation. He is straight, funny, married, has kids, coaches football, and plays guitar in a band. I couldnt ask for more. I was in hair love at first appointment.

We are still in the hair honeymoon period. I'm thinking it might be time to take it to the next level, cut AND COLOR, which means I'll not do it on my own anymore and let him completely take care of me. Its perfect, actually. He always returns my calls and we are even facebook friends now!

And yes I am happily married in real life to an awesome husband of almost 20 years. I shudder to think what its like out there in the real dating world. Hairstylist dating was almost enough for me to live in a hair monastery.