A modern man ?
TLDR: Hairdresser turned taxi driver shares his weird proclivities with a younger, confused Salma:
This story is one that I had written down some 11 years ago and never shared. I don't think I had started sharing my taxi stories back then.
So I take a taxi for a short trip back home to Garden City and I’m immediately struck by the taxi driver's strange aspect. The top of his head was entirely bald, but he had jaw length straightened hair dyed with Henna. As some of you might not know, when entirely white hair is dyed with Henna, it takes on a strangely fluorescent orange-red hue. This contrasted against the man’s brown skin and he had several gold teeth.
He started to complain about his job, which was nothing unusual and he said that he missed his previous job: “I was a hairdresser! I loved my job! I was first a hairdresser in big hotels and I would get brides ready for their wedding day. I would make the most beautiful chignons and they wouldn’t even be able to undo them for the wedding night!”
He then started laughing hysterically and I got uncomfortable. He continued:
“I then opened my own shop, and I was free to do what I wanted! I loved giving pedicures; I would rub and rub at women’s heels. They would come with dirty, rough, cracked heels but when I was done, their feet were soft and gleaming, the skin got bright red and they left feeling like brides! I was so happy!”
“I thought men didn’t do pedicures for women. It’s not something that’s considered appropriate.”
“Ostaza, I’m a modern man”.
I wanted to steer the conversation away from feet and wedding nights, so I asked about the best hair oils. This was before coconut oil took over the world of cosmetics:
“The best oil Ostaza is hashish oil! People will tell you Amla oil, olive oil, even cooking oil, but hashish oil is the best! A person’s hair is just like a person’s spirit. When your spirit is dry, limp and sad, you smoke some hashish and feel better immediately. The same goes for hair. By the way, I have this rich Saudi Arabian client and she got a small vial of the best hashish oil and it cost her 100 dollars.”
He went on about hashish oil until I reached my destination, slightly embarrassed but safe.
The Kasr El Nil bridge in the 1930’s if i’m correct. This was part of the itenerary (no trime travel included).
