I cheated on my manicurist

     I arrived this Sat morning, extra chipper to my nail salon. Aside from being in a good mood because it was a gorgeous day in New York City (nice breeze and bright blue skies), I felt like I needed to make-up with my manicurist. You see...I've been going to Jenny, on and off, for close to a decade. I love her because she's the sweetest lady and a perfectionist. Jenny genuinely wants you to walk out of there with your nails looking impeccable...and she works extra hard every time. I have to say that even after going to fancy nail salons, I always keep coming back to this humble nail spot...and Jenny is the only reason why I do. The owner is another story.

Anyway, you may be asking...then why would I cheat on my manicurist? Let me explain. I had an important meeting last week and I needed to look presentable. I walked in to the Queens nail salon the day before my meeting and she was booked for the day. So I did what I had to do. I had her new colleague do my nails and I didn't think anything of it...'til I stopped by last week to make an appt. and she gave me a half-smile.

So,back to this morning...I get there and again she's kind of quiet and not as happy to see me as usual. My brain goes off with a thousand questions. Is it too early in the morning for her? Did it bother her that I had someone else touch my nails? Is it my imagination or just my guilt? Is it silly to feel guilty? I immediately texted Reg, my friend and also Jenny's customer.

"I think Jenny is mad at me. The last time I was here, I had to get a mani with the new lady. Now I'm here and she's not as chatty," I wrote to Reg.

A second later, my phone rings. "Don't mention my name at all. I don't want Jenny giving me the cold shoulder because of you," my former roommate instructs me.

"But it was an emergency," I replied.

"Well, you needed to go somewhere else for that", Reg advised, laughing.

Oh man...did I break some sort of unspoken rule? The good news is...that by the end of my hour with Jenny, she was back to normal. We were talking about her kids again...and she even asked me about "my roommate". I told her Reg was doing great.

Comments

[B. Margarita Ramirez]

Okay...confession time. I have often cheated on hairdressers, mani/pedi girls, and my eyebrow threader. I see it as business. If Jenny was busy then you have the right to go to someone else. My eye threader opened up her own place...but very far so I do go there once in a while..but there is a eyebrow threading place in my neighborhood. When I have to go on the spot bc the brows are not looking cute...I am not gonna take a bus and 2 trains when I can go to a place walking distance. But the gods have cursed me bc I have often run into my eye threader in the train station 1 or 2 days after I have cheated...damn!

[gloria]

Hi B,

I knew you would relate :)

-gloria