An older lady walked into the most prestigious hair salon in town for a makeover, but everyone refused to touch her.
Darla Weston was proud to own the most prestigious salon in Los Angeles. All her customers were movie stars, or a the very least, A-list celebrities, and she never ever took in walk-ins except that one time with Rihanna.
Darla was stunned to see a woman in a faded greyish dress and sensible flat shoes walk into the salon’s chic reception and address Frieda, the hostess. Frieda looked at the woman and her mouth hung open. “Is this ‘Candid Camera?'” she asked.
The old woman smiled and looked around. “I don’t see any cameras!” she said cheerfully.
Frieda looked down her long elegant nose at the woman. “Do you have an appointment?”
The older woman looked confused. “An appointment? Like at the doctors? I didn’t know I needed one! I was watching this documentary the other day, about Helen Mirren getting ready for the Oscars and she walked right in…”
Frieda laughed. “You are not Helen Mirren, and besides, SHE had an appointment.”
“Please,” said the woman. “Can’t you fit me in? It’s my granddaughter’s wedding this afternoon and I wanted to look my best…”
One of the colorists who was walking by threw the older lady a satiric smile. “Hun, your best must have been at least forty years ago!”
Treat everyone with kindness and respect and you can’t go wrong.
The manicurist, who was doing fanciful gel sculptures onto the nails of a famous TikTok influencer sneered, “You’ve said it, sista!”
One of the salon’s best customers gestured Darla over. “Darla, darling…Not to be elitist or anything (you KNOW I always give to the poor) but that woman is bringing down the energy of the place!”
Darla smiled sweetly and assured her customer that she was going to take care of it
. She swept up to the reception desk. “Frieda, what seems to be the problem?” she asked.
“This lady wants to have her hair done, but she doesn’t have an appointment,” Frieda explained.
“My dear lady,” said Darla in a superior tone, “I’m afraid we can’t help you. There’s a charity salon three blocks down that does Hair for the Homeless on Tuesdays. I suggest you go there.”
The older woman drew herself up. “I’m not homeless, and I can pay for my haircut. I just want an appointment.”
Darla gestured towards the appointment book with a wink at Frieda. “Frieda darling, see when we can fit this lady in.”
Frieda pretended to flip through the book, sighed, and shook her head regretfully. “I’m so sorry…The whole afternoon is booked by the Max Colton wedding party. Sorry.”
“But that’s the wedding I’m going to,” the older lady cried happily. “Just fit me in…”
Darla was about to run the woman off with a few unpleasant words when one of the younger hairdressers stepped forward. “Excuse me, Ms. Weston?”
“Yes, Gail?” she asked. “Is there a problem?”
“No, Ma’am,” Gail said. “I was about to go off duty, but I can take care of this lady!” Darla threw Gail a cold s
tare, but she couldn’t forbid her employee from attending to a paying customer.
She watched angrily while Gail led the woman away to wash her hair. Within a few minutes, Gail had the older lady (her name was Daphne) relaxed and chatting away like they were old friends.
“I heard this was the best salon,” Daphne confided. “So I saved up…I wanted to do those silver sparkles, but I don’t know if my $50 will stretch to that!”
Gail, who was well aware that just the shampoo cut and set racked up to a cool $150, smiled. “Honey, you’re good to go!” Over the next two hours, Gail pampered Daphne, who told her all about her granddaughter’s fancy wedding.
The wedding was going to be at the Beverley Hills Hotel, Daphne told her, and all her granddaughter’s actor friends would be there. The bridegroom was in movies too, Daphne thought, but behind the scenes.
By the time Gail was finished, Daphne looked like a million dollars. Gail hadn’t just cut and styled her hair and applied silver shimmers, she had done Daphne’s make up too.
The rest of the customers and even Darla stared open-mouthed as the glowing confident Daphne walked to the front of the salon. “How much do I owe you, my dear?” she asked Gail.
“That will be $40,” said Gail with a smile.
Once Daphne was gone Darla snarled, “The rest is coming out of your salary, Gail, I’m not running a charity!”
But that wasn’t the last time Darla and Gail heard about Daphne. The next day, a famous talk show ran an exclusive on Academy Award-winning director Max Colton’s wedding to a brilliant young set designer.
Sitting with the happy couple and talking about her first-time experience in Hollywood was the bride’s grandmother Daphne and she looked fabulous, and she spoke about Gail Monahan, the best hairdresser in Los Angeles.
Gail smiled. “See, Darla? A satisfied customer brings many more…”
What can we learn from this story?
Treat everyone with kindness and respect and you can’t go wrong. Darla was unpleasant to Daphne because she looked poor, but she never imagined she was a famous director’s grandmother-in-law.
An act of kindness and generosity brings its own reward. Thanks to her kindness to Daphne, Gail ended up becoming famous.
Share this story with your friends. It might brighten their day and inspire them.
