the proper care and use of hair

         The other day I was backstage, ready to go. My hair was particularly...hard to think of the exact adjective to use...fluffy? textured? spiky? Sure, they all sort of work. Anyway, Ian walks up to me and the subject eventually gets around to my hair. After running his hands through it, he proceeds to say:

        Your hair feels really dirty.

        Oh, that's a shame since I just washed it before walking over here, I respond, not particularly distressed.

        You just washed it and it feels like that?! Ian remarks.

        Not seeing the problem that Ian apparently is shocked by, I simply say, Yep.

        He goes on, moving forward with his interrogation, Jessica. Something's not right. What kind of shampoo are you using?

       Starting to feel maybe a little embarrassed, but still not too terribly cause it's Ian and he's a true blue friend, I quietly admit, I've been using this little bottle of complimentary hotel shampoo. Um, maybe it doesn't work that well...But it is so easy to travel...

       He corrects my prior sentence with, Obviously, it doesn't work very well!  You are on a production contract; you can afford to buy some nice, brand name shampoo that actually cleans your poor hair. 

       I see your point, I say.  And that was that. Or so I thought.

       Fast forward to yesterday. Ian calls and says,

         Okay. So I just got myself some new shampoo and conditioner from the Aveda store but am not quite finished with what I already had. I am coming over, giving them to you, and I really really want you to use them.  After you lather with the shampoo, make sure that you follow up with the conditioner. Seriously, use them both. 

         Thank you, I say, both grateful for his generosity and convinced that he is going to give me a diagram of the proper lathering and rinsing of hair accoutrements along with the shampoo and conditioner.

         At this point, I wouldn't argue. 

         And now my hair is slippery-soft and clean once again. My scalp is refreshed. My head smells like a lovely apothecary. And all thanks to Ian. Though, really, I wasn't going to use that hotel shampoo forever...