Wednesday, April 16, 2008

More Than A Little Hot

I left Dallas Tuesday morning for OKC around 6 a.m. to attend our company’s Grand Opening there. I arrived back in DFW around 5pm, and headed to get my hair colored and cut with my favorite stylist, Rebecca at Toni & Guy in the Vista Ridge Mall, Lewisville, Texas.

The colorist, Debbie, is about 75% finished, we’re visiting and having a good time.

And then, I smell something burning. (And it's not my hair.)

I say something to Debbie: Do you smell that? Something’s burning.

Debbie: I can’t smell, I’ve had a cold, I’m stopped up.

Janie: You must be really stopped up, the smell is bad – like plastic burning.

We carry on.

About 10 minutes later, the manager stops all activity in the salon, saying she’s going to turn off all the power, and see if whatever’s burning will subside. No flames are visible, no smoke is visible, but the smell is worsening.

All power is turned off. Still, the smell pervades the room.

Manager has called the mall authorities, who, in turn, called the fire department.

Meanwhile, I have foil and color processing in my hair. I’ve not even yet seen my favorite haircut girl, Rebecca. I’m getting more than a little concerned.

Manager: Okay, I need everyone to grab all their things, and go outside the door, into the mall.

Janie (thinking to myself) Man. I’m glad I don’t know anybody here.

We all congregate outside the door of the Toni and Guy Salon.

After about ten minutes, the Manager comes back out. She wants a client count. There are nine of us in various stages of “processes”. I see my stylist, Rebecca. She has her purse, and looks like she’s about to jet. I walk up to her, and remind her who I am (I’ve not seen her in 2 years) and ask her not to leave me hanging, since I live 6 hours away. She hugs me, and says she didn’t know I was here, so I’m glad I went up to her and identified myself!

Manager makes us all grab our belongings, and we traipse. And traipse. And traipse.

Through. The. Entire. Mall. To. The. Opposite. Side. Of. The. Mall.

To. The. Employee. Lounge. In. The. Mall.

Don’t you know we looked a motley crew, all in our little smocks with varying colors in our hair, foil spiked all to heck, and trying to act like it wasn’t. really. happening?

We arrive at the Mall Employee Lounge. My color finished processing. Debbie the colorist grabs shampoo, and we utilize the sink (and a cup) in the bathroom of the employee lounge to wash and rinse my hair.

Rebecca grabs her scissors, and begins cutting. Around 8:30pm, we are starting to finish up. Everyone is exhausted.

We get out of the mall at 9:30 p.m. What a crazy night!

The things a girl will do to look good.

It’s never boring around here!

12 comments:

Karen Townsend said...

OMG. Too wild. Walking thru a mall like that. When I have a head covered in foil, I don't want to be on parade! My Aunt lives in Lewisville. I haven't talked to her in a few years, though. She used to live in the Preston Rd area of Dallas then moved to a new condo in Lewisville as it developed.

Pam said...

You have the most interesting things happen to you. I mean, really. Who do else do you know who can fly in for a hair color and cut and end up traversing the mall because of an unidentified emergency. I think I'm glad I have my quiet little life on the circle.

Foo said...

“Man. I’m glad I don’t know anybody here.”

You know, I rarely go into a mall. I actively avoid it, in fact. But I had to be over in Flower Mound to help out a friend and needed to pick up a part from Radio Shack, so I dashed into Vista Ridge “for just a second”. I thought, Wait... is that Janie?? Naw... couldn't be.



(Just kidding. But it could happened.)

i beati said...

sad but funny as well. They all deserve big tips sk

i beati said...

too bad the news crew wasn't filming

Lynellen said...

Did you ever hear what the burning smell was caused by?

And, how did your hair turn out?!?

Glad you're ok!

Gwynne said...

You are a hilarity magnet!! Who else would this happen to?!? Glad your hair didn't burn off! Yeah, what happened at the salon, anyway?

That Janie Girl said...

Karen - it was frikkin' crazy, I promise.

Pam - I'm here to serve, chica. I live to make other's lives more interesting.

Foo - No way, dude. That would be too hilarious.

Sandy - I tipped them big. Hush yo mouth about that news crew!]

Lynellen - it was a transformer! My hair, thank God, turned out okay.

Gwynne - I am some kind of magnet, that's the truth, but hilarious, it wasn't...until I started thinking about it being blog fodder. Then, I started laughing.

Well, heck, this crap's gotta happen to someone, right?

As I told Pam, I'm here to serve.

Snooty Primadona said...

When I started reading, I was freaking because I thought your hair was going to be ruined, lol. Glad to hear it was only a transformer.

Now tell me, would you have done that @ our mall???

I'm not sure I could. Very few have ever seen the *real me*.

That Janie Girl said...

Snooty - well, I wouldn't even think of getting my hair done in our mall. But I really had no choice but to walk down the mall avenue...after all, there was a FIRE!!!;)

It's just those Toni and Guy haircut artists are so freakin' well trained - they either cut, or color, not both, there... and Toni and Guy salons are usually only in malls. Rebecca is my haircut artist - and she's been a national trainer for 20 years for Toni and Guy.

My hair is SOOOOO fine and stringy that a good cut makes all the difference, if you know what I man...

thisisme said...

Boy, what do you do when you want to be bored? Only you - but thanks for the giggle.

That Janie Girl said...

Thisisme - girl, I'm here for ya. Stuff happens around me ALL the time.