Model Days!!!

EEEKKK!!! It’s finally happening!!! I’m actually going to cut hair!!! How it works when we’re assisting at Art+Science is once we reach a certain place in class and do our teachback, we cut (or color) on the floor at the location we’ll be placed at for a discounted price. We do this once a week for four weeks. If all the numbers look good and all the people come in we earn our first day on the floor charging the actual salon prices. This happens once a week for four weeks and again, if the numbers are on the up and up we earn another day and another etc…until we’re no longer assistants. I see the light… shining ever so brightly up in Evanston, but first, I gotta get some folks in. My first day is Tuesday December 1st. I post ads all over craigslist, put flyers up all over the surrounding area near the salon, ask former models that have come in for class with me in the past to come in, ask friends and friends of friends. I ask the receptionists to send their friends, ask other people how they did it and…pray. Charlie is coming in and bringing his friend Brian. They are my only two and I’m freaking out all week. Not only am I scrambling trying to find people, I’m also still assisting. I still need models for class on Monday. I am constantly reminding myself every time I want to kill some food, that everything is happening the way it’s supposed to. I don’t have to eat like it’s the last day of my life over something I can’t control. I can sit with it. Easier said than done. On the morning of the first I am in Evanston psychotically early and drinking coffee at the Unicorn café and contemplating a chocolate chip cookie. (Nope, nope and nope.) I’m wearing a dark purple dress and black tights instead of my assistant color scheme of all black or gray and have so many thoughts running through my head that I can’t keep it all straight. I desperately wish I could share this moment with Rob. I’m doing this. It’s actually going to happen. I’m going to cut hair here and I’m so sad that all this time has gone by and I haven’t been able to call him and tell him any of it. It’s not like he doesn’t know. I believe he’s with me always but it’s not the same as physically looking across a table at him while he drinks his soy caramel latte explaining all my nervous jitters and hearing him say “Don’t worry. I’m right here.” I won’t go home and have dinner with him after my day, tellinghim how it went. It’ll just be me and that’s ok. I plan to take myself out for sushi tonight and let the fabulousness of being able to cut hair for today sink in. I just miss him. When I walk in, I see one of the receptionists, LaRae across the salon and we both start screaming and running towards each other, slamming into a huge hug. “I’m so happy you’re here!” she exclaims. “Me too!” I squeal. “It’s gonna be a good day!” she smiles. “Yup!” I’m going to work next to my men’s work educator, George. It feels so surreal to see my name on the books, to have a day sheet that has clients on it, and a place to put my things. My head is swimming as I see I’m booked today with the exception of one opening. My day moves smoothly, wonderfully and happily. I enjoy the company of all my clients. I can’t even believe the girl behind the chair is me. She is the person she wanted to be in Atlanta but never made it. She’s talkative, animated, decisive, confident, and actually believes what she’s saying. She is utterly grateful for a “second chance”. The skin on my hands is practically normal by the end of the day. I absolutely cannot believe it. Even after touching wet hair all day, the swelling and redness is almost gone. They don’t itch as much and there isn’t any blistering. I remind myself to google dermatitis and see if its stress related even though I already know more than likely, yes it is and more than likely, when I stop assisting, it’ll go away almost entirely even though the cold climate will keep the skin dry. Charlie joins me for sushi after work. I’m happy for his company. We stay up late watching Californication until our eyes are too heavy to stay open…