Beauty Shop Saturday

(photo taken by Jimmy Emerson, https://www.flickr.com/photos/auvet/6380366565)

When I get stressed, I seem to have a need to write down memories.  I am not sure why, but it helps to think back to simpler times.  The memories seem to make the troubles and hurry-hurry mentality of today, fade away.
One of my favorite childhood memories is the Saturday morning trip to the beauty shop.  If I got the chance to spend the night at my grandparents' on a Friday night, chances were, I would get to go with Grandmama to the beauty shop on Saturday.  To my brother, I think this was torture, but to me, it was the epitome of fun.
When I got the chance to go to Mrs. Bert's beauty shop, I not only got to look at all the shiny, colorful costume jewelry she sold, I also got to look at all the beautiful clothes she had for sale.  Her shop was on the main drag in town, so it was a very narrow and deep building.  She had windows up front that were always warmed by the sun and occasionally had enough room in them for me to slip in and act like I was part of the display.  Yes, I really did that.  As you walked in the heavy swinging doors, you passed these window displays and were immediately in the midst of rack after rack of sequened clothes-it was the 80s.  These clothes were special because this was Union Springs.  We had no mall, no department stores, and no Wal-Mart.  This was one of the only places to get clothes in town and almost the only place to get nice clothes.  As you continued in to the shop, she had case after case of jewelry to the right.  There were pendants with jewels of every color.  There were necklaces, earrings, and more than i can remember.  Above these cases, Ms. Bert even had wigs.  This was the coolest thing to my young brain.
As soon as you got through the merchandise section of the store, you had reached the beauty parlor area.  Ms. Bert had 2 chairs, I think and maybe 2 dryer chairs.  This is where the action happened.  If you have ever watched the southern classic Steel Magnolias, you have a very good idea of the feel here.  My Grandmama didn't just get her hair done, she talked and visited and shared her life with Ms. Bert for a couple of hours every week.  She would get her hair washed and set and dried each Saturday.  As I roamed the store while all of that was happening, I heard countless stories from past and present.  I learned about life through their eyes.  They were not perfect people, but what can you really learn from "perfect" people?  They tend to be closed and guarded.  These people I encountered in Ms. Bert's shop were quite the opposite.  What great memories of laughing and crying and sharing.  Oh how I wish I had a "Beauty Shop" where I could go for a couple of hours on Saturday mornings, or maybe just 30 minutes. :)