Tales from the spa

Let me start out by saying that I love my job. I work one day a week at the front desk at a spa that is part of a franchise. I do step it up and work a full week when my boss's go on vacation or if they need time off here and there.

My friend and her husband bought this spa about 3 years ago and asked me to come work for them. At the time they needed a Nail Tech so that is what I did. We do everything but hair at our spa. About two months into my job there, my friend said to me, "Laura, you are too old to be scrubbing feet come work at the front desk".  So that is how I began my job at the desk.

The older people that come to our spa are our most colorful clients so I will start off with a few of their stories. I am going to change their names to protect the innocent. I have always had a soft spot for the elderly. I love their stories.

"Edna" comes to our spa every few weeks to wax her lip and chin. She is about 85 years old. Her makeup is always flawless, her hair is always done and she dresses beautifully. She has an awesome personality. She lives in assisted living down the street.

 I want to say it was either February or March, for those of you who live with snow, you know how dirty the snow gets at this time of year. We had had a storm over the weekend so it was a mess. The snowbanks were probably 5 feet high. I see "Edna" pull up and go out to help her in. I cant believe she has even shown up for her appointment. Her windows on her car are a mess and she is complaining about how she cannot see. She goes in for her wax and comes out and asks me if I can help her. I say sure. She hands me this can to spray on her windshield because she is out of windshield washer fluid. I don't read the can I just do what "Edna" tells me to do. She is in her car with the windshield wipers going and if its possible whatever is in this can has made her windshield worse. Before I hand her back the can i see it is WD 40. YIKES. I say " hold on "Edna" I am going in to get some Windex". "Edna" Is stubborn and says "no, no I can see". How can she see when I cant even see her in the car? She backs up and as I am walking back into the spa I hear a constant stream of honking. I am sick to my stomach that "Edna" is driving with that windshield. The next time "Edna" came to the spa she was assisted by a nurse and to this day has a nurse with her. "Edna" has not driven since that day. I can only imagine what happened.

The next woman "Eunice" is a first time client and I did not know her on the level I know "Edna."
"Eunice" is probably in her late seventies. She came in while I was still doing nails. She was going to be getting her first pedicure. She was adorable. She seemed a little nervous to be getting a pedicure so it was obvious she had never had one. Who doesn't love a pedicure? I wanted to make her comfortable so I explained what was involved. I turn to set up my station. I turn back around to tell her to get in the pedicure tub and she is already in the seat with her pants off and the towel from the foot rest is on her lap. "What are you doing?" I asked her. I was in shock and now I was nervous. Did I have an older perv on my hands? Usually I am a good judge of character. She told me she thought it was standard to take your pants off so they don't get wet. I laid a towel on the floor told her to get out and put her pants back on. I rolled her pants up for her and put her back in the pedicure tub. She said "oh this is much more comfortable." No wonder the woman had never gotten a pedicure. I hope "Eunice" has started to get pedicures on a regular basis.

My last story is not about someone old. Well in my mind not old. She was probably 40. She called early in the morning and wanted a full brazilian wax. I figured she knew what she was getting herself into because I usually get the question "What is the difference between a bikini, a brazilian bikini and a full brazilian." Let me just add that a full brazilian includes you on all fours and a pair of tweezers at the end.
The esthetician comes to get her and 10 minutes later I walk by the room and the esthetician and client are still talking with the door open. What is going on? I have the esthetician booked in 20 minutes and a brazilian typically takes a half hour. I go back to the desk and 5 minutes later the esthetician comes out and said she is asking her a million questions  "is it OK to go in the hot tub later?" , " Will I get infected?" I told her to tell her to hurry up and decide because you are going to be running late. If it were me, I would not have waited until the last minute if I was unsure how a hot tub would affect my "bareness". She decides to go through with it. She started to cry. Yes I said cry. Full blown crying. The esthetician asked her "You have never had children, have you?" (Did i mention this is one of my favorite estheticians). The woman said no. I could only imagine this woman in labor. I know its a little painful, but to cry? In all my years I have never seen anything like it.

I have many stories but I will save them for another day.
Do something nice for someone today no matter how small.