Just because we’re in the midst of a global pandemic, that don’t mean we have to let personal hygiene fly out the window. Come on, people! I have seen some sights down to the A&P, let me tell you! In March and April, maybe into May, it was kinda okay, because salons and barber shops weren’t open and we were making the best of the situation.
Many of us got to experience the joy of finding out just how much gray hair we actually have. God knows, I hadn’t seen the true color of my hair in years. Ooh, wee! That was an eye-opener. Men let there hair grow too, of course. On a few, it was kinda attractive. But honestly, some looked more like geriatric Bozos. If you’re old enough to remember Bozo the clown, you know what I’m talking about. Oh, we took hair cutting tutorials on YouTube. We got emergency dye kits from our hair dressers like we were doing some kinda drug deal in a parking lot. I even tried trimming Scamp at one point. Trust me: it’s harder than it looks. Fun memories.
But now, it’s August. The coronavirus isn’t gone by a long shot, but we’re finding ways to live around the edges of it. As you can imagine, I was some relieved when 
Patsy opened up down to Hair Affair. Sam, Charlie’s barber at Yankee Clippers, did finally retire, but he sold the business to his nephew, Cory. Charlie’s got half a head a hair and Cory’s not half bad, so that’s working out. And Margery Howe down to Salon de Bow-Wow opened, so Scamp is back on the good foot. We’re all looking pretty spiffy, here at the LeClair household. And you know what? Finding stuff like this, stuff that feels kind of normal (even with the mask on), does wonders for the old morale.
Still, some folks haven’t gotten on the band wagon. I’m just going to say this straight out: guys, if you want to use the coronavirus as an excuse to grow a beard, seems kind of hot to me, but go for it. Ladies, not so much. Yes, even with your mask on, I notice. Get out your tweezers and set to work. Trust me, it’ll make you feel better.
But people are people and they’ll do what they want. It’s their choice. What really upsets me, though, is those folks who have let there dogs go to seed. The poor little dears are depending on you to keep them safe and tidy.
Like a couple of weeks ago, I saw Prudence Dowd walking her dog Lulu down Main Street. OMG! What a horror show! That dog was so shaggy, I swear, I couldn’t tell the front end from the back. That’s bad. Now Lulu is called Lulu for a reason. You know how sometimes a dog can be so ugly, it’s cute? Well, that’s too high a bar for Lulu. Poor little thing! On her best day, she’s an acquired taste: them bulging eyes, over bite, hair sticking up like a mutant porcupine. Gadzooks! Plus, she’s kind of grumpy. Prudence loves her to death, but apparently not enough to get her trimmed!
I know it’s none of my bees wax, but clearly, an intervention was needed.
“Hey there, Pru.”
“Oh, hi Ida.”
“And this must be little Lulu.”
“I know. It’s hard to tell with all that hair, isn’t? But Heather down to So Dog Gone Good is still closed. I don’t know if she’s even planning on opening up again.”
“Have you ever tried Margery Howe?”
“Oh, yeah, I tried. But she’s booked solid, and Lulu is so uncomfortable in this heat. Aren’t you, Peanut? I’m at the end of my rope, Ida.”
“Look, I’ve been going to Margery for years. Let me see what I can do.”
“Would you, Ida? Oh, thank you.”
I pretended to check the messages of my phone, but really, I was taking a photo of Lulu. Margery can’t stand to see animals suffer, and I knew a picture would be worth a thousand words. And it worked! She managed to squeeze Lulu in.
I warned her, “Margie, Lulu is no diamond in the rough, if you know what I’m saying. In some ways, that mop of hair is doing her a favor.”
“Oh, Ida. You know I have a soft spot for the homely ones.”
A couple days later, Margie texted me, “Just finished Lulu. Yikes! You weren’t kidding. She looks like she could give ET a run for his money.” 😱
“You’re a saint,” I replied. Well, we’ve both done our good deed for the week.” 😇 👍
Treat yourself to a haircut, people. Your dog, too. It’s hot as Hades out there, and a little pampering will do you good.
That’s it for now. Stay safe and catch you on the flip side.
Hear Ida Tell It: Doggone it!