I felt a little indulgent booking a hair appointment but felt like I needed something to pick my mood up a little. I didn’t dare ring them because the pandemic has made me even more socially incompetent than usual, so did it through the website which wouldn’t let me choose a stylist or tell me how much the hair cut was going to be. I worked on the basis that I hadn’t had a haircut in a year so it would average out at a reasonable price then crossed my fingers that they would consider accepting age 13 clothes as payment if the cash ran out.

The website listed their COVID-19 precautions. Masks, only one in reception at one time, hand sanitiser, disposable things. I was interested to learn that the stylists wouldn’t be talking to us as much as usual which made me even more enthusiastic.

On arrival we did an awkward dance and for a while I felt like I was in a post apocalyptic movie. Once I’d relaxed we had the usual conversation about the thickness and colour of my hair while I wore my homemade mask that had shorter elastic on one side so listed to the left. My hairdresser quickly came to realise I have no real routine and no hair product knowledge. All the usual stuff.

I nearly fell asleep when she washed my hair and felt the most calm I have felt in four months. I’d have paid for just that to be fair.

We established that using disposable towel to dry the world’s thickest hair was never going to work then she set to work trying to thin out my ginger birds nest.

I don’t think my stylist had got the memo about limited chatting. She told me she is going to Mallorca in two weeks. It was the weirdest conversation I’ve ever had with a hairdresser about “going anywhere nice on holiday” as we spent quite some time wondering how the all inclusive buffet will work. I didn’t ask her whether she’s worried about sitting on an aeroplane in close proximity to other people as seemingly she isn’t.

I came out having paid a fairly eye watering sum, impressed with the service, amused by the conversation and carrying a much lighter head (physically and metaphorically). My youngest said I looked “beautiful” and for a brief moment I believed her.

It was totally the right thing to do.

Feature image Photo by Element5 Digital on Unsplash