I can't win

I had an appointment to get my hair cut and highlighted on Monday. I've never had highlights and I was really looking forward to doing something a little different. My hair is very fine, thin, and fragile, so this was a once-in-a-blue-moon sort of thing for me. I wanted to look cute for the wedding. I asked for red highlights and picked a hair swatch out of a book. The stylist and I agreed that the highlights should be noticeable but not overly chunky. She did her thing and then spun me around so that I could look at myself in the mirror. I could see nothing. Nothing. My hair was exactly the same as when I color it myself with a box from Clairol.

"You might see it better, when you're outside in natural light," she told me.

I thought to myself: "It's November, it's 29 degrees outside, and it gets dark at like 3:30. But I'm supposed to stand outside until someone spots my invisible highlights?"

I know I shouldn't make a big deal out of something so minor, but I was just so disappointed. She offered to redo them but by then it was after closing time for the salon. I had stuff going on the next two nights, so there was no way I could come back. My flight leaves on Thursday. I think what bugged me the most was to spend all of that money and to get nothing. The more I thought about it, the more upset I got. I was actually crying by the time I talked to my mom later in the evening. As my sister pointed out, at least nothing BAD happened.  I still have some hair, so I guess there's that.

Tonight I went to a local nail salon to get my nails done. Again, another splurge-y sort of thing that I would normally never dream of doing. A friend of mine had suggested gel nails (vs. acrylic/shellac) because they don't damage your natural nail underneath.  So, that is what I asked for. The man who greeted me at the front desk spoke little English but I believed we had some sort of understanding as far as what I wanted.

A woman led me to a manicure desk and a different man came over and sat down on the other side.  I must say he was very efficient. I tried to tell him that my left thumb doesn't bend but I could tell he didn't understand what I was saying. I asked, "Will I be able to pick out a color?"

He nodded. "Color. Yes."

Then, when he was done, he escorted me to the cash register. "Um, can't I pick out a color?" I asked again.

A woman who seemed to have slightly more English under her belt jogged over and told me, "No color. White tips look very nice."  I am tempted to write this phonetically (as she pronounced it) but I don't want to be accused of being a racist jerk. I am not racist, I promise. I was just a bit frustrated by the communication.

"It's for a wedding," I said. "On Saturday."

"Yes, white tips perfect for wedding!" she told me enthusiastically.

I gave up and paid my bill. :::sigh:::  The best laid plans of mice and men, eh?  I may just paint them on my own.  I also feel a blemish forming on my cheek. I swear to you, I will cut off any part of me that has a blemish on Saturday.

p.s. I tried on a shirt at TJ Maxx yesterday and for a fleeting second, under the fluorescent lights of the fitting room, I spotted three strands of hair that were vaguely, distantly reddish. So, if you want to see my highlights, you will need to meet me in the fitting room at TJ Maxx.

p.p.s. If you send me a text, please give me a week or so to tap out a reply. I was a slow texter before the nails, so . . .