Transformation
extract from short story
Catriona Yule
‘Right Mrs Martin. We'll just get you seated over here. That's it. Now what
would you like today?’
‘Just an inch off the back please.’
‘And how about the top? How about a few layers just to give it some body?’
‘No thanks, I just want rid of the split ends.’
Ruby Martin looks up through her fringe, watching the hairdresser titivating.
She doesn't like getting her hair cut. There is always the uncomfortable notion
that hairdressers are trying to create the trendiest style — and she isn't
it. She can see that the hairdresser's face has already switched to the off position.
Sensible. Boring. She nods her head in agreement with Ruby's unadventurous
choice but her detached vibes are screaming: Jesus, put some life into it. Go for
the highlights. Be a devil. What about bright red. Bring out the natural tones in
your hair. Now that would be worth warming the scissors for.
She winces as the girl combs the tugs in her hair sleek, away from her brow. The
girl is wearing shiny eyeshadow that brings out the darkness of her eyes and a sleeveless
pink t-shirt to set off her tanned skin. Ruby used to wear tops like those before
the bags of skin started to hang from the tops of her arms. Now she covers herself
up like a person in a polythene bag.
She's relieved when the cutting finally starts. The whole business is taking too
long and there is an awkward silence now that the girl is concentrating on the task
at hand.
Snip, snip. Snip, snip.
‘Doing anything nice tonight, Mrs Martin?’
‘Not especially, just having a quiet drink at home.’
Snip, snip. Snip, snip.
‘Not a party animal eh? My Davy says I drink like a fish. Can't get enough
of it.’
‘I don't really drink much, just a few glasses of wine.’
‘Very sensible. You know, your hair's in very poor condition. Have you been
pregnant recently?’
Their eyes crash in the mirror.
Published in The Lemon Tree Magazine, 2003
(The Lemon Tree)
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