Cassie, Moira
It starts at hame. First things first, ye've got tae hae a bath an be smellin nice fur the public. Ye canna ging intae wirk wi smelly oxters. Hair deen, make up on, collect the clean tools ye've washed frae the nicht afore, an aff ye go. I open the shop, switch on the watter an the kettle, sweep the fleer again tae get rid o ony stray hairs, wipe doon the units, check the toilets, pit doon disinfectant an flush them. Then, I hae ma coffee. The first customer wauks in the door. A good hairdresser sud aye myne their name, an fit crisis wis in their lives the last time ye spoke tae them. Ask fit like a holiday/ nicht oot/ day oot they're gauin tae be haein in the near future. Dinna forget tae ask aboot their faimly ailments! 'Foo's yer man's back/ bowels/ big tae?
Ye get aa the news while yer usherin them ower tae the sink. Shampoo hair, continuin conversation. Find oot aboot their latest crisis...byler's broken doon /car needs new clutch/ gaun tae the dentist in the efterneen. Gie coonsellin. Tell them aboot the client last wikk that hid tae get root canal treatment that wis painless. Then, ye start tae blow dry their hair. Efter that, the tongs get started, an sae dis the conversation because it's quate again.Normally, bi this time it's ontae news o the day, or we're spikkin aboot the weather. The next customer wauks in the door.
Ditto, 15 times.
Noo it's lunch time. Ye tidy up the shop, check the toilets, sweep the fleer. The phone rings 25 times durin the course o the mornin an efterneen. Answer the phone politely. At 2 o clock, takk shoes aff an go through the hoose an staun on the caul fleer. Reapply lipstick, pit smile back ontae face an march back through tae the customers again.
The same thing continues aa day until the last customer wauks oot through the door. Face noo sair wi grinnin, sick fed up makkin cups o tea . Conversation aa dried up. End o day, shoes aff, feet up, cup o coffee, an then the big clean up starts! Dirty tools collected, fleer swept, units wiped doon. Then, swollen feet shoved back intae shoes,oot the door, back intae the car an hame. An that's a typical day in the life o a hairdresser!