By Marie Anne Greene
This particular Vignette is how three Gals solved their individual challenges engendered by the Corona Virus and the subsequent Health safety measures which evolved to business closings, the stay home order and loss of immediate income.
Let me set the stage first. Marie Anne is one of the involved Trio and the least effective by the Coronavirus restrictions, while the other two Gals were severely impacted. Both are single women. One is raising two young boys by herself. No boyfriend, mother, father, uncle or aunt. The other does not have the challenge of young children as both of her sons are now grown and live half way across the continent.
Previously this was not a challenge and but was in fact a looked forward-to periodic adventure trip. About every four months when she had accumulated sufficient – as the economists call it “Disposable Income” – she would fly out to see them, but more so to see her twin Grandkids – One adorable Girl and the other a boy “A little loveable terror on Steroids”.
These two ladies are an integral part of Marie’s small group/team of CIS female friends. The first is her hair stylist (Tanya) and the other her Nail artist (Crystal). The traveling Grandmother, (the Hair Magician) does not look or act like a Grandmother, is vivacious and could win any Beauty or Comedy Competition she chose to enter. The young mother, Crystal, on the other hand is quiet, with a delicate face, caring and supportive and devoted to her sons and both of whom are positive, intelligent and handsome boys. The older boy is dedicated to team sports and the younger to computer puzzles. Unfortunately, their good school grades and learning curve may be curtailed by the closure of their respective schools – leaving them with too much free time on their hands. Fortunately, they live in a small one-story frame house in a nearly rural area just outside the city limits not in a rundown overcrowded ghetto environment.
Marie’s challenges are in no way as critical or essential (although some might disagree with this latter evaluation), as are those of the other two ladies. Marie’s requirements although superficial (again a questionable evaluation) are those all of the female persuasion must tackle periodically. Specifically, “We” girls face the challenge of maintaining our Feminine Beauty Rituals particularly the Manicure and possibly a Pedicure. As a result of the threat posed by the Virus, the Trio has temporarily lost two inherent female rights. – The right to work and go Shopping or at least go browsing. Thus, any little semblance of independence and femininity we can retain, we are inclined to reach out and grab.
So that is how the Trio did in a low-key cooperative manner. It started the Friday before the first two weeks of the “Stay at the Home” and business Shutdown. Earlier, Marie had made appointments with both Gals. The hair stylist in the morning and the Nail Specialist for the afternoon. This was same day the owners of the two Shoppes announced they had decided to close-down for the two weeks to be on the safe side of health protection and avoid the potential of a law suit should a client contact the Corona19 Virus and claim she had contracted the disease while in one of the Shoppes.
As Marie said good bye to her friend in each shop, both hoped the shops would be open in time for Marie to make her next round of “Maintenance Visits”, however they both also offered to make “House Calls if the shops were still closed.
As the 15 days came to a close and the national health situation regarding the disease did not seem to be abating, certainly not in densely populated locations such as the New York City area prompting both the voluntary and government directed closure of businesses, to continue and in some cases to expand restrictions. Those businesses particularly effected were those where there was a high rate of close contact among customers and store staff such as the two shops. The closure rate and coverage gradually expanded throughout all the states and rolled down to even small population centers.
The restrictions and closures effected small and large businesses alike although to varying degrees of severity with employees of small neighborhood shops like Hair and Nail salons particularly hit as they were not salaried Employees and their income was not based on an hourly rate such as an officer worker but on a piece rate. (Money for each specific service). Typically, a Hair Dresser or Nail Tech “Rented” a chair or work position from the Shop Owner, or paid the owner a percentage of each patron’s bill. In the case of our two ladies this was their sole income as neither were anywhere near old enough to draw on their Social Security Account. Thus, the need to bring in enough money to cover, at least the living essentials such as food and medicines, etc. were paramount, although there was also rent or mortgage payments, utilities and car payments, Etc.
As it worked out one of the Gals was allowed to put a voice notice on her Shoppe’s answering phone that although the Shoppe would be closed indefinitely, SHE would be available to make House Calls. This prompted Marie to contact the other Gal and inquiry if she was available to make house calls. The response was positive and Marie learned that Gal was already doing House Calls at the request of other regular clients. Marie then made appointments for a HOUSE CALL with both.
With dates and times set Our Gal proceeded to “Sanitize” her Cottage including the front porch and its pair of White Rocking chairs as well as the interior and get all in perfect order for her visitors including buying a box of disposable latex gloves and face masks, sanitary spray, wipes and most important cold and hot paper cups. A Gal must be able to offer her special guests some refreshments.
The first appointment was with the Hair Tech, (Crystal) who was wearing a simple white top, black flats and a pair of the multicolored wide legged filmy trousers. Of course, the outfit was enhanced by Latex gloves and a Face mask and a pair of shiny Sunglasses perched on the crown of her Ash blonde hair. Marie met her with her blonde hair pinned back, wearing snug girl khaki’s and a light blue cotton blouse, bracelet, lipstick, eye liner and face mask. There was a small surprise on Crystal’s face as Marie greeted her and reached to take one of the two large satchels she was carrying. This was the first time Crystal and had met Marie in girl mode although she knew Marie existed and upon a few occasions had been shown photos of Marie from various Photo Shoots when she had done Manis & Pedi’s for Marie while in boy mode.
However, the surprise was short lived and the two quickly fell into Girl talk as Crystal began stripping, cleaning and buffing each nail expertly. Crystal asked how the last shoot went and then what was to be the theme of the pending shoot and where was it to be held. Then it was Marie’s turn to ask questions of Crystal while she was engaged in doing Marie’s Nails in a light (almost flesh colored pink tinted) gel. The conversation quickly evolved into talk of Crystal’s two boys and her plans for sprucing up her “Country Cottage” as she referred to her house.
Marie also learned Crystal was a fully licensed Cosmetologist. Marie was delighted to learn this as now Marie had a built in “Make-Over Expert” in her tiny repertoire of ladies of accomplishment. When Crystal had completed all her nail artistry and both girls were about talked out, Crystal began to pack up her two Large “Tool Boxes”, and Marie had paid her. This followed with setting a date and time for a return visit in a few days for Crystal to accomplish another wonderfully feminine enjoyment – A Pedicure and Nail Portrait on Marie’s neglected toes which would be equal to and match the heavenly color of Marie’s nails.
from Kandi's Land https://kandis328772669.wordpress.com/2020/05/14/house-calls-part-1/
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