a wildly unexpected afternoon

It's been years since I've seen Kathy. Not quite 31. We used to work together at Gillette. In fact, it was Kathy who recruited me from Northwestern.

Kathy was (and is) a great marketer. She has had a successful career in the business of beauty. Currently Kathy is president of John Sahag Ltd, which includes their workshop/salon on Madison and 49th. But it's not Kathy's marketing skills I remember most;  it's her incredible sense of style. She always wore the most fashionable clothes, with her hair cut one step ahead of the trend it would become.

Today I am meeting her at The Sahag Workshop.

My hair needs to be colored. It's been five weeks and shows. And, it's a rainy day, the worst for hair like mine. This alone makes me nervous about our meeting.  My hair looks good when I leave my apartment, but bad within minutes of catching the bus.

As it turns out, I needn't have worried. Actually, the worse it looks the better.

I bump into Kathy at the elevator, on my way up to see her. I recognize her right a way as she hasn't aged at all since I last saw her. I of course love what she's wearing, and her short, punky hair complements her flawless face.

The space is large, airy, and ultra modern, with beautiful architectural details. Within minutes of my entering, I meet the seductive Arous, "like Arouse without the e," she tells me.

Arous looks at me with excitement and asks, "Will you be our model?"  She (and the class she is teaching) agree that my hair needs help. I am thrilled. Especially when she says, "I am going to make your hair dance."  Someone takes a before picture.

Soon I am surrounded by a small group of stylists from all over the country.  Arous cuts away. "What sign are you?" she asks.  "Pisces," I respond.  "March Pisces, right,not February?" She's correct. "You are sensitive but outgoing." True, too, I think.

Arous cuts away. I trust her and say nothing. "I am custom sculpting Lyn's hair to fit her attitude," she tells the class.  Arous is more artist than anything else. 

The class looks on, observing their teacher's confidence and skill, as well as her humor.

My hair is definitely dancing now.










Arous finishes the cut and then addresses the class. She tells them my current color is washing me out, and the big chunks of light highlights in the front look dated (I like my highlights but say nothing). The class agrees with Arous.   "Lyn, can we change your color?" "Of course. Do what you want, as long as it's not pink, blue or red," I say.

Arous brings me closer to my natural dark brown, and adds some soft, natural highlights around my face.

I look at myself and say, "Wow, this looks so different."  "In a good way?" Arous asks.  "Yes," I respond. "Lyn, you need to finish your sentences."

I leave four hours later, with new hair, new color, and a bag full of de-frizzing product, shampoo, hair serum, a leave in conditioner and something to seal in my color. 

I expect Kathy to look fantastic and she does. I expect our conversation to be effortless and interesting and it is. But everything else that happens today is a big, wonderful surprise.