The Haircut Story Site

Young man washed by old lady! by Keith

Shampood. By an old lady😬

I've written here about my first, unexpected, hair wash as a 17 year old at length. Then about my bizzare hair dying and pedicure combined. Most, 99%, of my barber/hair salon experiences have been uneventful over the years. But it was to be an experience at my Grandma's hair salon that was the werdist.

It was around 2001/2,i was in my early 20s, a young man driving LGVs, working hard through the rough and tumble of life. I had a thick Tom seleck mustache, lots of thick, dark brown, collar length, greasy hair at this point.

My late grandmother every Wednesday for 15 years had a shampoo, cut and set at a salon in my local mall. The ladies salon was opened when the mall did back in 1977. And it really was a 70s place. Lots of brown, beige colour schemes and faded images of ladies hairstyles at the time. It had been ran by a husband and wife team since it opened. He was around 60, she was mid 50s. His mother also lended a hand from time to time and she had to be in her early 80s.

I had a week off and my parents were away for a while in Italy. So I was asked to take my Grandma to her hair appointment, she needed help. I was young fit lad, no worries. The husband on occasion did men's hair, by appointment in a small area separate from the far larger women's part. So I made an appointment for the same time. I wash and trim. I won't be any longer than my grandma will I (😏).

So I get back after parking the car. It was a warm humid day and I had my flared trousers on and an open neck shirt with rolled up sleeves. With my mustache and hairdo I looked a real 70s man entering a really 70s salon. 🤣. Now, for some reason, Ladies hair salons, along with the sahara dessert in north Africa and the Amazon rainforest are the hottest places on earth,this one was no different. I was boiling while sitting in the waiting area watching my grandma under the dryer by now, how long was I going to be. She was nearly finished and I had yet to be called.

A few minutes later the young receptionist approached me:

"I'm afraid Mr Mercer has had to go out, so someone else will see you. You'll be in the main ladies part I'm afraid"

Oh well. I thought, I'll just have to sit with all the old dears getting my hair done. My grandma was finished and was in the waiting area just as I was taken through to the ladies area. I had travelled back in time by 25 years. The decor, the atmosphere. There were 10 chairs on one side, 5 back facing basins and 3 hair drying seats on the other. And the place was full of old and middle aged women nattering away. I was a fish out of water, a 5'10 young, rough looking lad in this environment. But at least this young woman would be dealing with me, or so I thought.

She sat me down, in the middle of the salon, again, and started combing through my tangled greasy hair.
"umm... I think it would be a good idea to wash it first". I told her I prefer after the cut, to get rid of all the small hairs.

"Why don't we wash it before and after?" oh yeah, I thought 😊, young lady washing me, makes a change from the middle aged women I was use to by then. So she put a small towel round my neck then got out this Hideous plastic gown from the 70s, no surprise, it was dark brown with flowers dotted over it and reached down to my ankles. Then she put another towel round me. Again I was all bundled up, I was getting excited, ready for a......

"Mrs Mercer!" the young hairdresser called over the salon. The mother of the owner of the place slowly came over, a women aged around 80. She was 5 nothing, with big specs on. "Yes dear?" she said to the young one.

" should I have a break now or...".

"You have your break now and I'll deal with this young man". Mr Mercer said looking at me. I couldn't believe it!

As the younger hairdresser explained to Mrs Mercer senior what I was having done all my laddish confidence and cockyness deserted me. Again I could feel the sweat poring the pores in my head and it wasn't just the heat in the place. I was going to be shampooed by a woman a few years older than my own grandmother! 😬.

"OK come over here son, let's get you washed".

She said in a loud, chirpy voice, waddling over to the basins. I followed her, towering over her, all bundled up and sweaty, to the basin, in the middle, Again. What is it with me always in the middle? I sat down, 4 other, old ladies were being shampooed, 2 each side. She then went behind me along with the other 4, younger hairdresser, one male and asked me to lean back. She started the water and checked the temperature, I nervously looked round and gulped. "OK is that water alright me dear?" it was happening, the warm water was saturating my hair, an old lady was shampooing me!

Boy, it was firm, rough, lathey, soaking it was amazing. I felt the grease, dandruff, grit being washed out of my hair. This lasted 5 wonderful minutes, then she rinsed me. Wrapped the towel round my head and took me back to the chair to trim it.

She just used scissors on my now damp hair. She was very chatty, asking me what I did for work, what was I doing with my week off, etc. This took around 20-25 minutes and I started to relax and enjoy your chit chat. Then she started to put this beige hair cream through my locks. WHAT I looked like a beige Hellraiser!

"This will help nourish your hair, I'll leave it on for 15 minted then I'll rinse it out"

She said, wrapping the towel snuggly round my head. I can't imagine how I looked, a rough looking young guy with a towel wrapped over his head, a hideous brown plastic gown on, sitting in the middle of a ladies hair salon being worked on by a women in her 80S. By now my grandma was beginning to wonder were I was as I had taken longer than she had.

I was then taken back to the basin, which, despite me being the only one being shampoo, again I was in the middle. This time I enjoyed my leathery, soaking shampoo and conditioner. I sat with I smug grin on my face as I relished my head firm head message by Mrs mercer for about 10 minutes.

After it all I was over she took the hideous gown off and styled my fresh, soft, beautiful, clean hair. I thanked her, paid and went to get my car. I noticed in the car park Mr Mercers Mercedes (bit of a mouth full), but that didn't matter. His old mum had done a fantastic job.

Alas this was a long time ago now. Both Mrs Mercer and my grandma passed away a few years later. The salon was closed due to redevelopment of the mall. Nothing remains of it, today it is a Chinese restaurant.

But this remains in my memory, along with my first hair wash at the place in Birmingham and the buzzard pedicure and dying experience I had a few years back. As I said all the other times have been uneventful, maybe even boring. However these 3, unique, ones I have been happy to share with you.

Thanks for reading

Comments
I also liked this story, the way it was written and the haircut saloon descriptions included in the story
by thadeusz on 30 Apr 2023
I can't speak for the majority, only myself. But I enjoyed reading Keith's story, certainly wasn't insulted by it. I hope Keith will have more stories to share.
by Washedladuk on 04 Apr 2023
WashedLadUK, it is insulting and disrespectful to the majority who come here to read and enjoy stories about haircuts.
by Confused by your position on 03 Apr 2023
... "The title makes it clear what the focus of the story will be, so people can decide if they want to read or not."

If people want to ignore the title and read anyway, then it feels quite a stretch to be critical of that story content.
by Washedladuk on 02 Apr 2023
WashedladUK, what does it have to do with Haircut Stories. If somebody likes having old ladies wash their hair, fine, but it doesn't have anything to do with a haircut unless the story includes a big portion about cutting men's hair!
by Not as Confused on 02 Apr 2023
I don't find this story confusing. The title makes it clear what the focus of the story will be, so people can decide if they want to read or not.

I think it is great that people take the time and effort to write and post a story that others can enjoy. People should be praised for that, as should people that provide feedback. So thanks Keith (and others!).
by Washedladuk on 01 Apr 2023
I find these hair washing stories very confusing. Is this no longer the Haircut Story Site? I believe their are shampoo story sites. Stories that are focused on hair washing in ladies' hair salons--do they belong here?
by Confused on 30 Mar 2023
I do prefer a forward hair wash. I don't think any of the ladies really noticed me. I can't think way. I really stood out. No, all of them were mostly wrapped up in there own world's to notice me.

It really was just a fluke that this old dear served me.
by Keith. on 30 Mar 2023
There is something about sitting in front of the basin, waiting to lean forward over it. Builds the anticipation. And then not seeing what is happening when in that position.

But being in the ladies section must have felt quite an experience too.
by Washedladuk on 29 Mar 2023
Oh yeah, I had to lean right back. It was a square shaped basin, in dark brown. I almost had to look up at the ceiling, she took her time though. But I had 2 towels wrapped round me so I didn't get any neck pain. I do prefer a foward hair wash.
by Keith. on 27 Mar 2023
Sounds a very different experience to your first, must have felt weird being in with the ladies. And not a forward wash. But thanks for sharing the story.
by Washedladuk on 27 Mar 2023
Thanks for the comment P.J. When I was taken through into the ladies part I felt so nervous, a fish out of water. A young, hairy lad in his early 20s amongst all the old and middle aged ladies. So embarrassing at first.
by Keith. on 26 Mar 2023
Nice story. I always love it when a guy is not afraid to step out of his comfort zone. I also like that the older lady washing your hair was not judgemental regarding a guy with longer hair.
by P.J. on 25 Mar 2023