MY FIRST SALON Part one
Rather than give the joiner the key to the shop, we arranged that I would be in when he came. There was plenty of cleaning and painting to do. One whole wall running the length of the shop was tongue and groove boarding, there was a flight of stairs behind leading from the side street to the flat above. A widow and her daughter Flora lived there, and the partition would tremble when Flora bounded up the stairs! Customers did not know what it was and always asked in a startled voice: "What's that?" It sounded a bit like thunder, but that was nothing compared to the noise produced when the coalman made his delivery every fortnight. His heavy load made his footsteps sound like a giant stamping up the stairs, all conversation in the shop stopped, then the tramp of feet could be traced across the ceiling, slow and deliberate, then the awful noise as he tipped the sack of coal into a metal bunker. He retraced his steps, and ran down stairs with a clatter of clogs, and repeated the whole nerve racking performance. She had two bags delivered! Being young and finding a giggle in most events, it ammused me to watch the customer's faces through the mirror.
I had no knowledge of this, however, as I cleaned my 'dream come true.' I sang "Ooh the lady in red," "the fella's are crazy for the lady in red etc. etc. etc.." The first job was to set out the window in an attractive display, to let folk know that here was to be a hairdresser in their midst. The top of the window measured for a paper pelmet bearing my name and business, and another smaller window looking out on to the side street needed a poster large enough to cover the whole of the bottom panel, to block the view. On this side I painted all the usual information, a natty slogan something like this ....
YOU'VE TRIED THE BEST -
NOW TRY THE BEST!
added to which was a bold statement,(a favourite of mothers)
All permanent waves guaranteed,
NO FRIZZ! NO FAILURES!
I wanted to give my salon a fancy name "Madame Pompador," "Powder Puff," but mother said I should use my name, because "Catlow" was welllknown in the town and I would be more likely to get custom if I used it. I tried to compromise by suggesting "Maison Dorothea" but it was turned down flat, even sneered at, so "Dorothy Catlow" went up on the window, boldly emblazened across the pelmet. This little setback didn't keep my spirits low for long, there were other problems to sort out.
To be continued...............
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