It's a very slow process - two steps forward, one step back - but I'm inching in the right direction. - Rob Reiner

November 12, 2013

How Rude, but I "Mustache" You Not to Laugh

This blog post has zero to do with running.  It is simply an embarrassing story, but one I felt was funny enough to share with the entire world - embarrassing or not.

One of the great benefits of working from home is being able to run little errands over lunch on occasion.  Last week I got a wild hair that I would go get my nails done over lunch.  It's not something I do very often, so it was a nice treat.  I have been to this salon a few times and really like it.  This one, like most in the area is owned and fully operated by  Vietnamese men and women. 

I am always amazed at how well they speak English.  They have very strong accents, which can sometimes be difficult to understand, but I am always in awe of their ability to speak another language.  I can barely come up with a half sentence in Spanish.

Anyway, I just wanted to give you a little background.  So while I was doing my nails, the girl looked across me at the table and said "Would you like to have your eyebrows waxed today?".....I remember the last time I looked in the mirror thinking they needed some work, and I was thinking she must think they look awful if she is asking so I said "yes, actually I would, that would be great".

She finishes my nails and takes me into another room where she starts waxing my eyebrows.  While she is doing this she again looks down at me with disdain and says "Would you like me to wax your lip?" ....."Uh, no I replied, I'm good".  "But you have lots of hair" she replies.  I kind of laugh, feeling a little embarrassed but again replied "No I don't think so, not today".  She then abruptly gets up - where is she going.....but then she comes back with a handheld mirror, which she puts into my hand and brings up to my face - "See, right here, and here, you have very much hair, if we wax it you will look much more better".  At this point I'm pretty mortified and so I just said....."ok yes, please go ahead and do it". 

So she waxes "my mustache" and seems very pleased with herself.  She brings the mirror back, "see much better".  It's just funny, had this happened in a expensive salon and a woman there had said this to me I probably would have been furious and asked to speak to a manager, but somehow coming from this sweet girl with a thick accent, I just find it amusing...a little humiliating still, but mostly funny.  In fact, my cousin was once fired from a job for a similar encounter when she straight up asked a lady if she would "like that mustache taken care of today".  My cousin is sweet as she can be, and has a very thick Southern accent, but apparently that was still not enough to keep her customer from being furious.


Anyway, I just want you to know that I'm not some kind of bearded lady or anything, I'm just a woman with dark hair.  All women have some hair on their upper lip, but when it's dark it shows up a bit more.  Apparently mine was worse that I thought because it never really bothered me before and I had never had it waxed before.   Gee....now I know.

So there you have it....but now I please "mustache" (must ask) you not to laugh at my facial hair.

Have  you ever had an embarrassing moment like this before or had someone ask you something fairly inappropriate in normal everyday life?






12 comments:

  1. Ohmigosh!! I can totally believe that coming from one of these ladies. Mine is just the same, but we deal with different, ummm, hair issues. She has no shame and she makes me feel the same, lol. I don't believe her though. I'd be terrified to start waxing my upper lip. But I do fight with a single facial hair that keeps coming back in the same spot!

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  2. Like when I was working for Weight Watchers and someone asked me if I was pregnant (in front of everyone) because I had a flowy shirt one.

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  3. snort. I used to get my eyebrows threaded and the girl had asked me if I wanted my "mustache" done and I was like umm no. Threading on eyebrows hurts like a bitch, my lip? hell to the no. Plus my lip is blonde blonde, not dark, ugh. being a woman is a pain!

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  4. I have dark hair, too, so I feel your pain. I avoid nail salons like the plague -- to embarrassed by my gross runner's toenails to expose them to anyone else -- so haven't had to have the mustache conversation, but after my you hear son was born I did have a parent come to my school and insist on talking to me, only to tell me in front of my principal and our school secretary that she's just wanted to see if I'd lost "all that baby weight".

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  5. they do that to me EVERYtime! hey often tell me my makeup will go on cleaner (to which i always reply, I don't wear make up...) I caved once and broke out like crazy, I've kept my blonde 'stache since!

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  6. Aw, they're just trying to make more sales! This happens to me too; I don't mind as long as they don't hard-sell something that I really don't want. I have dark hair too but I'm not sure anyone can see what's on my face unless they're 2 inches from me (or i'm 2 inches from the mirror).

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  7. I once had my eyebrows done after a run. I had showered but I was still feeling quite hot, and a bit sweaty. The guy who did my eyebrows pointed this out repeatedly. I still cringe when I think about it….

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  8. Oh goodness - that is funny and embarrassing all at the same time.

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  9. Someone told me once they didn't recognize me because I had gained so much weight. I was fairly young and the lady was quite old and I had been too well brought up to say what I wanted to. I would reply differently now.

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  10. that is pretty funny! I dyed my eyebrows once since they are nearly invisible, my husband still teases me about it. I looked weird!

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  11. I can't resist a good pun and the story behind it did not disappoint! I'm fortunate with very light hair, but I am always apologizing for how bad my eyebrows are when I go get them done. Kudos to you though for acting with so much grace!

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  12. That's funny (sorry). Seeing the pic of you with the stache reminds me of a magnetic mustache my daughter has for the hood of her car. It's hilarious.

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