The salon experience

I had worn my hair out for a few weeks and decided to get a protective hair style in for a bit. There's this curly, natural looking extension I usually wear which I install myself. So, I'm sat at home getting my hair done when a friend comes by. He sees me doing my hair myself and at first cannot believe it. He then moves from disbelief to wonder - he wonders why I take all that trouble; would it not be easier and maybe faster to get it done in a salon? He goes a step further to say that I am being stingy and don't care about the survival of the people who do it for a living! (buahahahaha!!) I found that sooooo funny.... but it got me thinking. I am indeed very particular about how my hair is handled (even more so since I've begun to keep it in it's natural state) but I thought maybe
I should give salons a chance. Maybe if I direct them, it would make a difference. So I decided I would give it a go after I took out the extensions I was just installing.

And so the day came when I would try my luck with the salons again. I chose one in Ikota shopping complex Lekki, Lagos. I got there in the middle of the day, and thankfully, it wasnt busy at all. This to me was very comforting as I reckoned it may end up being stress free. So I got in there and told them what I wanted; they seemed to understand perfectly. A lady was assigned to do my hair, and so I sat down and hoped for the best.  

The extensions I had on were crocheted in rather than sewn in so I showed the lady how to get them out. I then got out a book to read but before I began reading, I thought I'll just peek at what she was doing. I wasn't too surprised to find that she was doing something entirely different from what I had shown her only a minute ago (it always amuses me how hair stylists in Lagos think they ought to do for you what they like rather than what you asked for). At this point I began to envision what a long day lay ahead. Anyway, I again showed her and explained exactly why she needed to do it just as I had instructed.
Mid way into the project, (taking out the weave) she just casually walks away without a word. (this was rather surprising) I waited a while, after which she just as casually strolls back and carries on. (erm...okay!) We eventually finish and it's time to wash my hair. She leads me to the wash seat and settles me in. I am now laying back, head in the sink, eyes closed, very relaxed. Suddenly I'm jolted back to the present; she has just poured COLD water on my head! I make a sound to reflect my shock; and her response......"you want warm water?" (erm...yeah!! If only you asked before the  fact!) So now I have to sit there waiting with my hair damp while she heats water. She eventually begins to wash my hair, somewhere in between she hands it over to someone else to finish again without saying anything to me and walks away. Hmmm....

Anyway, my hair is now washed and dried, and my new stylist begins to weave. Again after a few minutes, she also walks away without a word and yet another person comes to continue with the weaving! This time I had to say something to which the third stylist explains that the last one had to go and attend to someone else (that makes sense, after all I am not a paying customer.....or am I?) Possibly because I had said something at this point, we manage to finish the rest of the project with the same stylist. She immediately begins to more or less blow her own trumpet by saying things like "aunty your hair is so nice" - really? Well, I will let you be the judge. I don't think I will  be returning there in a hurry though. I took it out after one week.