Sneak Peek: A Hairdresser’s Diary by Christine Hannon

Today we have a sneak peek from author Christine Hannon’s  memoir,  A Hairdresser’s Diary

Hairdressing: an act of transformation. We search for the right hairdresser. Telling them stories about our lives that we don’t share with everyone. They become the keeper of our diary. Sometimes we wonder what the world looks like from their eyes. The Hairdresser’s Diary lets us read those stories, starting with the hairdresser’s own.

This book is the diary of a hairdresser who had a calling and a great memory. It is filled with stories of gossip, angst, triumph, challenge and most of all, humour. By looking into the mirror of others, we come to see the reflection of ourselves.

A Hairdresser’s Diary is available from Amazon.com.

And now, from A Hairdresser’s Diary…

Summer and weddings, were two of my favourite times, and when they came hand in hand wonderful things happened. One bride in particular can still bring a tear to my eye. I still remember the sadness and heart wrenching circumstances and the joy I was able to bring her on this one special day. This amazing young girl was Natalie.

She had her back to me, but I could see in her hands a white bridal veil and a picture torn from a magazine. Susan asked. “Chris would you please help Natalie today?” As she did not have a regular beautician she could ask for, Susan selected me. “I would be delighted,” I cheerfully answered. As she slowly turned around and looked up to face me, I felt a huge lump in my throat and a burning ache tug at my heart. Under the silk scarf wrapped around her head and face Natalie had deep, widespread, ugly reddish scars all over her face and neck. She had no eyebrows, no lashes and her hairline was receding on the left side and deeply scarred. Her lip on the right side had no lip line just a very thick reddish ugly scar. She looked at me with the most beautiful, big, hazel, sparkling eyes I had ever looked into. Their beauty was hypnotic and at the same time so extremely sad. She said to me, “Two years ago when I was first engaged, to my Mike I was in a fire and had my face, neck and scalp burned.” She continued, “I thought my life was over and I was convinced Mike would never look at me again. But he never changed the way he loved me and today he will prove it forever.” She added, “In just a few hours we are going to be married.” From what she said, I knew it was not to be a big wedding. Close family members and friends would be her only guests; even so, she wanted to wear her white dress with the veil to cover her face.

I asked her, “By chance do you have a picture of yourself from before the accident?” She went to hand me the one out of the magazine I shook my head and said. “No one of you.”

“Yes” she said “but it is just a small one.” Without hesitation, she took it from her wallet and handed it to me.

I asked her, “will you put yourself in my hands and let me do what ever I want?” She looked at Susan who was smiling and nodding her head yes. I promised her, I would do nothing that would cause her pain or embarrassment. She whispered, “I don’t know why I trust you, but I do, yes I will.” Both smiling we entered the salon to start. Natalie drawing her scarf a little tighter to her face and her head slightly lowered.

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